Search by property

This page provides a simple browsing interface for finding entities described by a property and a named value. Other available search interfaces include the page property search, and the ask query builder.

List of results

• Haati Wavehowler  + (All he has ever known or more can remember …
  All he has ever known or more can remember is the house of Thrax, from when he was very young he had been taken and placed as a thrall in the service of one lord or another until he reached ten. Only then was he placed with the man that would be his adopted father later in life Torvin Wavehowler. Torvin was a blacksmith, his specialty was weapons, but he had some skill with armor as well. It was a hard place to be for someone so young, but over the next five years he toiled and sweated under Torvin's tutelage, thinking he wasn't doing more than manning the fire and fetching tools. At fifteen years Torvin put him in front of the anvil and a hammer in hand. He was amazed how much strength he had built up over the years and in a short time having watched so long, sometimes only listening, that he was able to craft decent weapons. After anther five years he had made enough weapons and become good enough with other materials other than steel that he had earned his freedom. It wasn't only his freedom, Torvin himself adopted him and kept him working at the weapon shop he owned. Torvin never had children and Haati was more a son by that point then he would ever have born from another. It started showing when he began growing weaker and a few years later could not even hold a hammer. They didn't know what was wrong, but he died soon after taken to being bedridden, the life, his craft and he could not do it, crushed him. The shop was owned by the local lord and he wouldn't recognize Haati's inheritance of it. Things will be and things that are, his skill was useful on the for the Thrax ships he found himself a mariner, pirate to some, employing what skill he had with a bow and his weaponsmithing to good use on the oceans that were so close to what he had called a home. He spent his time on the waves, on a ship, an archer for higher and a weaponsmith t keep the money in his pocket flowing. He acquired a taste for the hopping from one wharf and docks bar to another carousing and drinking. So until recently he has done mostly what he wanted, but then House Thrax had came to him and made an offer he could little refuse. To take up shop in Arx, support their interests and he would receive all he ever desired.
  and he would receive all he ever desired.)
• Leta Broadbent  + (All too common, Leta's family just barely …
  All too common, Leta's family just barely a step above the rabble of the slums, and clung to that hint of respectability even when coin was all too scarce. She'd had a few surviving siblings, all older than her, and all seemed destined for a dreary life of menial labor, aspiring to some lesser craft at best. Her mother worked in a tavern, and the time Leta spent there and the colorful folk who'd come by instilled in her an admiration for the loud and bold warriors and adventurers who'd return from the field with pouches full of coin to spend. She learned the rudiments of swordplay from some of the regulars, and one day she was off to join a mercenary company. It wasn't easy to talk them into taking her on, and it wasn't easy to earn her place, but over the last few years she's proven herself, if largely against bandits and in minor disputes between lesser nobles.
  d in minor disputes between lesser nobles.)
• Althea Pravus  + (Althea was born to House Pravus and set he …
  Althea was born to House Pravus and set herself apart for all the wrong reasons. In her youth she took more interest in helping her siblings, cousins, and other family members in their studies. She was punished for her lack of killer instinct and her drive for cooperation over competition, but it did little to curb her "unnatural" impulses. Those most generous to her were certain that she would grow out of it once puberty hit. They swore that there had been Pravus before who came to their senses as a coming-of-age rite: Some psychic wound or personal loss would harden her heart to the world. Puberty came and went, and the weight of family ambition did little to crumple the butterflies and daisies flitting in her heart. If anything, it seems to have reinforced them. Althea became the black sheep of the family, but she was still *family*. Instead of puzzling out how to change her, they instead decided to use her love of charity and helping others to their own less-than-innocent goals, and innocent Althea goes along with it none-the-wiser, ever trusting in her darling family.
  iser, ever trusting in her darling family.)
• Triscali Grayson  + (Although born a Grayson, Triscali was of n …
  Although born a Grayson, Triscali was of no special status or importance within the family. What was special about her, though, was her gift for magic, and it was on account of that gift that Triscali left her family to train as a mage with the Metallic Order. Before she could take her Name or forsake her family, circumstances called her back to the Compact, to become Queen-Regent. It turned out, she was a more powerful Queen-Regent than anyone bargained for, could not very well be controlled by the Great Houses of the Compact, and did, in fact, a great deal more controlling herself. A Queen of iron will is difficult to reckon with; a Queen of iron will AND powerful sorcery is entirely impossible. History remembers her for many things (or it would, if the Despite would allow it): for the breaking of writs in the Compact, for the wars with Cardia that followed. For her love of Macdon, and her grief at his loss. For her disdain of nobility, for her Black Rose Theatre. It remembers her, in the end, not as Queen-Regent, but as Queen -- though she left the world heirless, and gave up power of her own accord, to disappear into the annals of history (and then to disappear entirely, when that history was all but devoured).
  , when that history was all but devoured).)
• Lianne Pravus  + (Although she was born three years later th …
  Although she was born three years later than her elder sister Viviana, in many ways the siblings were cut from the same cloth. They looked similar and both had a restless nature about them that made them ill-suited to the life of a typical lady. Yet where this led Viviana to seek physical challenges, it led Lianne in the opposite direction - to seek mental ones. Even from a young age, it was rare to be able to walk into Liannes chambers without having to step around scattered diagrams and models, or to not find her hard at work dissecting some sort of animal or another upon her fine, mahogany armoire. She was never able to settle on just one discipline, bouncing from one to the next almost every month, but her keen mind devoured them all. When she blossomed into a beautiful young lady, her mother was initially keen to marry her off for political advantage. Yet whenever a marriage offer seemed close, Lianne would instantly turn her mind to aiding in issues of politics, government or economics and prove so valuable that the marriage would be put off. Of course, this would last only until the risk was gone, to the great exasperation of her mother, before shed return to her books and personal studies. She was largely uninvolved in the crisis that occurred during and immediately after the reign of Piero as Duke, happily working on her research. But in the aftermath, she was called upon by Belladonna to do her duty and use that keen mind to help rebuild the House to glory.
  n mind to help rebuild the House to glory.)
• Lianne Malespero  + (Although she was born three years later th …
  Although she was born three years later than her elder sister Viviana, in many ways the siblings were cut from the same cloth. They looked similar and both had a restless nature about them that made them ill-suited to the life of a typical lady. Yet where this led Viviana to seek physical challenges, it led Lianne in the opposite direction - to seek mental ones. Even from a young age, it was rare to be able to walk into Liannes chambers without having to step around scattered diagrams and models, or to not find her hard at work dissecting some sort of animal or another upon her fine, mahogany armoire. She was never able to settle on just one discipline, bouncing from one to the next almost every month, but her keen mind devoured them all. When she blossomed into a beautiful young lady, her mother was initially keen to marry her off for political advantage. Yet whenever a marriage offer seemed close, Lianne would instantly turn her mind to aiding in issues of politics, government or economics and prove so valuable that the marriage would be put off. Of course, this would last only until the risk was gone, to the great exasperation of her mother, before shed return to her books and personal studies. She was largely uninvolved in the crisis that occurred during and immediately after the reign of Piero as Duke, happily working on her research. But in the aftermath, she was called upon by Belladonna to do her duty and use that keen mind to help rebuild the House to glory. In the years since, Lianne has taken over leadership of the march of Nilanza, formed her own house, abandoned her Pravus legacy to remain with the Lyceum and even married well. Who knows if her mother is proud.
  ed well. Who knows if her mother is proud.)
• Amalthea Crown  + (Amalthea is a paranoid woman of the woods …
  Amalthea is a paranoid woman of the woods from a remote farm whose production is lead by crops and horses that were broken by her. She is a survivalist whose skills revolve around her knowledge of the harvest and hunt. No last name meant no family, she doesn't remember any either.
  o family, she doesn't remember any either.)
• Amalthea  + (Amalthea is a paranoid woman of the woods …
  Amalthea is a paranoid woman of the woods from a remote farm whose production is lead by crops and horses that were broken by her. She is a survivalist whose skills revolve around her knowledge of the harvest and hunt. No last name meant no family, she doesn't remember any either.
  o family, she doesn't remember any either.)
• Amber Mondegreen  + (Amber is one of those rare Arvum dwellers …
  Amber is one of those rare Arvum dwellers who has spent time on the continent of Eurus, and even farther to the east - all the way towards the far sea - in the kingdom of Daobujin Bo. There she met her husband, Nisoi. Foreign stranger or not, he fell hard for Amber's exotic coloring and her soft, sweet laugh, and she was just as taken. Together, they dreamed of finding a safe route through the vastly uncharted seas to reach Arvum, opening up lines of trade between the distant, distant peoples. Nisoi died before that dream could be realized, but Amber made it home to Arvum, to the forests around Bastion. She's still committed to the dream she had with her love, and bears a few treasures from Daobujin Bo to sell so she can finance it.
  Daobujin Bo to sell so she can finance it.)
• Tove Clearlake  + (Amongst tribes that are full of strong hun …
  Amongst tribes that are full of strong hunters and warriors, Tove is a bit different. Where strength is valued, she uses intelligence. It's never been a particularly easy path, but having proven more than useful to the clan with her ability to help heal the wounded and aid the sick, she's made herself an asset rather than a liability. With the ability to handle herself with the traders made her place amongst her people all the more solid.
  ace amongst her people all the more solid.)
• Amorria Arterius  + (Amorria's parents traveled a great deal, m …
  Amorria's parents traveled a great deal, mainly to sell what they had made from what they gathered along their traveled. As a wanderer in her own sense, Amorria often would pretend to be more than just the commoner child she was. She would save every bit of nice looking fabric she had and drape herself in the knotted together scraps to form dresses and outfits that she imagined was the most beautiful. Her parents sheltered her for the most part, her father always being close by her side even as she grew into a young woman. Her mother, more often ashamed of her child's whimsical nature would often be seen walking in front or a few steps behind her husband and her daughter. Unless it was just herself and Amorria, in which case Amorria would be seem close by her side but with her head down and curious eyes never turning up from looking at her own feet. There is very little known about her family, or her, only that they never lingered long in more than one place and Amorria was not always seen in their company.
  rria was not always seen in their company.)
• Lola Tragedy  + (An Orphans life is, generally speaking, no …
  An Orphans life is, generally speaking, not a very nice one. The Tragedy Orphanage of the lower Boroughs is definately no exception. Overcrowded and underfunded, no one was happy to have another mouth to feed. Those who can afford to adopt rarely do, and those who do adopt usually do so out of necessity for an extra pair of working hands. As lovely as Lola was she became just another face shunted from house to house and back to the Tragedy again. Her only exception to the rule is that she was always happy to go, and always just as happy to return. Sometimes she would be fostered out for months, working with a fishmongers wife to gut and scale the catch of the day and she was happy for the work, for the new faces and the change of scenery. However, she was rarely kept for too long as food and money would simply become too meager to keep her on, so back she went. She loved the other children of the Orphanage and plied them with exagerated stories and little gifts whenever she could. If she ever had the fortune of coming across any kind of money, it was usually spent on them. She was simply a happy girl with a generous heart. She never had grand ides of where she came from or who she was. She was Lola of the Boroughs and that suited her just fine. As she grew older and began showing promise of a sharp intellect and various interests was taken on as apprentices by various shops around the city. She was always pleased to help out, and any coin she was given for her exceptional standards was almost immediately spent on clothes or books for the younger children of the orphange. Her only flaw, and one that proved to be dissapointing to many a merchant, was her complete and incompetent awkwardness when any of the Nobility entered a shop. She could barely string two words together and proved herself to be hopeless as a shop girl. Everyone hated sending her back to the orphanage, but they would often have no choice. They would give her what goods they could so she never returned empty handed - but she soon began to despaire of a future for herself. Then a stroke of luck was offered to her and she found an apprenticeship with Ferron Arms and Armor. Under the tutelage of Ida Ferron she found a niche that kept her just out of the limelight of the gentry and gave her hands something lovely to create. Despite her small build and frame she showed promise at smithing and hopes to one day be as skilled as Ida herself.
  s to one day be as skilled as Ida herself.)
• Kanduo Enlau  + (An immigrant, hailing from the poorest rea …
  An immigrant, hailing from the poorest reaches. Another man looking to make his share in Arvum. Primarily working as a carpenter, but, often works small and frequent tasks and errands around town. He doesn't particularly specialize in much, and his life is mostly mundane, and so he's often been known to make his way through taverns and pubs and stir fights and chaos as a form of amusement to break up the monotony of peasantry life.
  o break up the monotony of peasantry life.)
• Enya Blackram  + (An old commoner focused primarily on shamanism and mystical assistance, Enya was adopted into House Blackram as a mystical advisor after giving spiritual council to a member.)
• Nimm Urist  + (An only child, Nimm fled from an abusive h …
  An only child, Nimm fled from an abusive home at the young age of ten. He was taken in by Delando, a travelling merchant who sold leather goods. During their seven years together, Delando taught Nimm the craft. Sadly, Delando was killed by highwaymen two years ago. Nimm narrowly escaped, and has a long scar on his left forearm to prove it.
  long scar on his left forearm to prove it.)
• Halsim Duskwave  + (An orphan of Abandoned raids, the boy who …
  An orphan of Abandoned raids, the boy who would become known as 'Halsim' was taken in by the Darkwaters at a young age. Becoming one of the young house staff, assisting where requested. With so many different parts of the Redoubt accessible, it was only a matter of time before the young boy wanted a slice of the life the 'nobility' had, and started to pilfer little things here and there to sell. Becoming a skilled thief and spy, the boy built a reputation among the black market of the Darkwater domains over his teenage years. Sure, people noticed when things went missing, but the boy had learned the nooks and crannies of the Redoubt... and his small body allowed him to reach places the adults could not... so the game of cat and mouse that occasionally broke out continued. People took to calling him 'the wraith' for the way he just... disappeared. This, of course, came crashing down around him. One slip. All it took was one slip. By the time he was eighteen, he had outgrown one of his hiding places. It didn't take long for the Darkwater Guard to catch him, and for Draevor Darkwater to have him brought to him. Instead of executing the almost adult thief though... Draevor asked him if he was 'the wraith', that had been terrorizing his domain for years. The boy said nothing, but a momentary flinch told Draevor all he needed to know. So, he gave the boy a choice; only those guards in the chamber and Draevor himself knew he was caught. Renounce the petty thievery and learn the tradecraft of spies for the betterment of House Darkwater, or be put to the axe in a public execution a week from now. With little choice, Halsim accepted... and disappeared from the public eye. His old name? Forgotten. His old life? Forgotten. He was House staff once upon a time, but eventually, 'Halsim' emerged into the public eye two years later. Now a House scribe to the public, Halsim became one of Draevors spies... and within a year, his unofficial spymaster. This continued for a few more years, until a scandal was pinned of himself, and suddenly he was without a patron. Sensing it was time to move on, Halsim instead disappeared from the Darkwater lands and went to the Inquisition, having the talent and purpose of serving the Compact. In the decade that followed, Halsim has served the Compact and Inquisition well.
  s served the Compact and Inquisition well.)
• Halsim Darkwater  + (An orphan of Abandoned raids, the boy who …
  An orphan of Abandoned raids, the boy who would become known as 'Halsim' was taken in by the Darkwaters at a young age. Becoming one of the young house staff, assisting where requested. With so many different parts of the Redoubt accessible, it was only a matter of time before the young boy wanted a slice of the life the 'nobility' had, and started to pilfer little things here and there to sell. Becoming a skilled thief and spy, the boy built a reputation among the black market of the Darkwater domains over his teenage years. Sure, people noticed when things went missing, but the boy had learned the nooks and crannies of the Redoubt... and his small body allowed him to reach places the adults could not... so the game of cat and mouse that occasionally broke out continued. People took to calling him 'the wraith' for the way he just... disappeared. This, of course, came crashing down around him. One slip. All it took was one slip. By the time he was eighteen, he had outgrown one of his hiding places. It didn't take long for the Darkwater Guard to catch him, and for Draevor Darkwater to have him brought to him. Instead of executing the almost adult thief though... Draevor asked him if he was 'the wraith', that had been terrorizing his domain for years. The boy said nothing, but a momentary flinch told Draevor all he needed to know. So, he gave the boy a choice; only those guards in the chamber and Draevor himself knew he was caught. Renounce the petty thievery and learn the tradecraft of spies for the betterment of House Darkwater, or be put to the axe in a public execution a week from now. With little choice, Halsim accepted... and disappeared from the public eye. His old name? Forgotten. His old life? Forgotten. He was House staff once upon a time, but eventually, 'Halsim' emerged into the public eye two years later. Now a House scribe to the public, Halsim became one of Draevors spies... and within a year, his unofficial spymaster. This continued for a few more years, until a scandal was pinned on him by Count Draevor to avoid public embarrassment, and suddenly he was without a patron. Sensing it was time to move on, Halsim instead disappeared from Darkwater lands and went to the Inquisition, having the talent and purpose of serving the Compact. In the decade that followed, Halsim has served the Compact and Inquisition well. Then Maxmillian Darkwater recalled Halsim back to House service just before the Silent War, and was convinced by the Count to investigate various matters for the House with a delicate hand. For various reasons, Halsim agreed, and his investigations commenced for many a month. Eventually though, he found what he was looking for; Soon after, Blackshore Keep was razed to ashes, with Max inside. Halsim has since returned to the business of safeguarding the Compact against threats both internal and external... and been adopted into House Darkwater as a proper Lord.
  ted into House Darkwater as a proper Lord.)
• Wynna Crown  + (An orphan that knew no parentage, Wynna gr …
  An orphan that knew no parentage, Wynna grew up a street urchin that persisted off the generosity of others on Arx's streets. When she became old enough to get by without one guardian or another, she became a cut-purse that ran with multiple youth gangs as needed, drifting between the roles of distraction and thief in equal measure. It was here that she learned best how to keep herself subtle, manipulate people into getting what she wanted, and when all else failed how to run quickly. Things changed when she was attempting to steal the purse of an older Scholar of Vellichor - his spectacles had fallen and shattered in the attempt, and Wynna was struck by a bad case of sudden empathy. Abandoning her gang's scheme, she escorted the old fellow, Tristan, back to the Archive, where he proceeded to reveal that he knew her game, to question her unfortunate lot in life at such an early age. Influenced by his words and bearing (and importantly his not throwing her to a guard), she needed little convincing to take up an offer to learn to read and write. While she never quite lost her more conniving touch and her thrill for various rushes of dexterity or fast-talking, Wynna swiftly transformed into an insatiable amateur scholar. Obsessed with all things having to do with reading and writing, she savored the written word like drops of water to a woman dying of thirst. History became a passion as she learned of old places that were ill-visited, of tremendous events occuring in the past and how they may influence the future. She committed names to memory, dates and stories, much to the humble pleasure of her older tutor. While Tristan had to eventually move on to other pursuits and students, it was with some pride that he left Wynna to pursue her own ambitions of learning. Not content with simply being a scholar, Wynna yearned to experience adventure as well - to find the old places she learned of and to uncover their secrets, and to reveal things forgotten so that they might never be again. Her survival instinct as a former thief might yet save her life when her scholarly drive gets the better of her.
  er scholarly drive gets the better of her.)
• Lot Medraut  + (An unusual man with a very common origin, …
  An unusual man with a very common origin, Lot isn't very forthcoming about his youth, but most believe he was born to a family of farmers in some unremarkable barony of the Grayson fealty. There was nothing notable about him other than being an especially big peasant boy, and there is no mention of him in any rolls until the Silent War. Among the masses of peasantry displaced by the advancing army, Lot reported for the levy as was his duty. He was good at soldiering. Most of it was just waiting around doing nothing: stand where you're told, wait there without fleeing, and if the other side came close enough, hit them until they all went away. He didn't overthink things. After the siege of Arx, he and his family went back home and found their village utterly gone. There were survivors who were intent on rebuilding, but having left his village for the first time and seen Arx, Lot wasn't enamored of the prospect. Having had a taste of the military life in the larger world, he wanted more. After growing up on a farm, the notion of being paid to just stand around and be bigger than everyone else was an alluring one, and Lot promptly fell in with a mercenary company he had met during the Great Siege. With typical middling peasant wit, he was oft nicknamed "A whole Lot" or "A-hole Lot" depending on the mood of the big man and his fellows. He's followed by a number of colorful rumors ranging from the curious (he once cut a horse in half with one swing, he sank a rowboat by stepping into it and refuses to fight on a ship again, he's a former Shav king) to the fantastic (he's descended from actual ogres, and his ancestors were cast out as traitors by an ancient king), but this much is true: if you've coin, Lot Medraut is for hire.
  : if you've coin, Lot Medraut is for hire.)
• Anders Nightcove  + (Anders was born a lord of House Nightcove, …
  Anders was born a lord of House Nightcove, a vassal of House Helianthus. He's spent his years in the loyally serving the Marquis of Eastcrest and rising steadily to the position of Voice and admiral of his family's naval forces. He has an immaculate and impressive career, and is personally responsible for claiming significant tracts of land for his house.
  significant tracts of land for his house.)
• Andrel Monteaux  + (Andrel was born the middle son of the Mont …
  Andrel was born the middle son of the Monteaux family. He was considered the golden child of his family, and paraded around as the jewel of the Monteaux sons from his promising physical stature to his honorable demeanor. Despite this, when their father perished on a hunting accident, it was his older brother, ever envious of Andrel, that received the family wealth, and estate. He ensured Andrel received only enough to live on his own, but now Andrel has set off to make a name for himself in the Kingdom greater, independent of his brothers.
  gdom greater, independent of his brothers.)
• Andrina Thornburn  + (Andrina is the daughter of Andrew and Anas …
  Andrina is the daughter of Andrew and Anastasia Thornborn-- a wealthy baker and his iron guard wife. Her mother and father pampered her and spoiled her (by commoner standards). She grew up in a nice home in the upper boroughs with a sheltered and rather idyllic life. Her parents encouraged her to follow her passions. She flittered around in several apprentices as a teenager before she finally landed on her true passion-- painting and sculpting. She knows how to sew, melt down an ingot, and how to tan leather but she doesn't really have much interest in it. No, instead, she would rather be reading stories of larger than life heroes and bringing those tales to life on a canvas or in marble.
  se tales to life on a canvas or in marble.)
• Andromeda Leporidae  + (Andromeda has always been athletically inc …
  Andromeda has always been athletically inclined, coordinated and possessed of a strong build. Her resilience, however, was something that needed work. She'd always been described as soft of heart, and while her mother assured her there was nothing wrong with that, she warned her about kindness and mercy. These are principles that warriors of Andromeda's caliber simply can't afford. Everyone who knew her growing up remembers a time in which the apprentice Sword was idealistic, maybe even naive. That all changed when she was taken captive during a battle waged against the enemies of Tremorus. A particularly brutal tribe of Abandoned spent months torturing her for information they could use to fight against their enemies in turn. She was never allowed a moment of peace, but they knew that at the very least their "noble" hostage needed to remain whole enough to be used in negotiations if it came down to it. Andromeda managed, after a lengthy confinement, to trick her gaoler into letting her out. When she got her hands on a sword, it was only a matter of time. She slaughtered everyone who got in her way, and then she slaughtered everyone else at the holding. They call it the Night of Long Screams, and it is a tale that has endured in the history of the Proscipi. When Andromeda returned to her people she wasted no time in informing her kinsmen of the knowledge she had gathered while being kept prisoner; enemy movements and other inside information that allowed them to smash the opposition on every front. In the final battle she fought their Champion one on one with the stipulation that the victor takes all -- despite the protestations of her brother Remus who felt it was pure folly. Andromeda's cold methodology and skill with a blade allowed her to carve through him like a cake. After which, of course, the rest of the clan quickly disarmed and bent the knee. The shattered blade of her foe remains on display in the museum of the Leporidae and since then she has become something of a ruthless pragmatic. After Tremorus and Leporidae bent the knee, she was introduced to the concept of the Champion's Guild, which quickly caught her mind, and fascinated her. It wasn't long before the Prodigal Champion joined their ranks, eager to find new ways of testing herself, and of emerging victorious.
  sting herself, and of emerging victorious.)
• Angelica Sanna  + (Angelica comes from a branch of the Sanna …
  Angelica comes from a branch of the Sanna family split free, obscurely referenced in Farshaw and fairly unremarkable. Several generations back, they settled in a small village north of the Redrain capital, called to an obscure purpose and excelling at it, tending sheep, mining, and joining the locals in their trade of bookbinding. Their success is a little above modest, the village able to support itself without much interference from the outside world, encouraging a work ethic that's reflect in their respected goods as well as their day to day. Angelica is a product of such a community, her calm demeanor rarely ruffled, her focus intense on whatever she sets herself to.
  s intense on whatever she sets herself to.)
• Annabella Grimhall  + (Annabella was fortunate enough to have bee …
  Annabella was fortunate enough to have been born to the Grimhall family, and as such her upbringing was a bit more fortunate than a commoner child. Through she was raised with the proper etiquette and formalities of a noble, Annabella never much cared for the supposed worth in her noble blood, and instead found solace in libraries and apothecaries, where she could gather as much knowledge on healing and medication as possible, as she quickly found this to be her true passion. In her hands, the tools to save a life are just as valuable as the tools of war most of her Grimhalls employ in their tactics. Where that fails, she isn't too bad with a knife.
  hat fails, she isn't too bad with a knife.)
• Andry Bayweather  + (Another day, another orphan, another life …
  Another day, another orphan, another life into the Lowers. Perhaps Andry's parents are some line of royalty, perhaps great nobility runs through his blood, perhaps he's a bastard child of a former king, perhaps there's magic in his blood! Or perhaps his parents were just no ones who got ran off or killed and he's just another baby in the Tragedy of the Lowers. One of those being more likely than the others, Andry lived his life with pragmatism. An urchin and an orphan in the Lowers, Andry was quick to learn he couldn't make it alone. Not being a sizeable boy, he was not one who would survive many of the scraps that took place in the Lowers. So he found himself a big boy, an older boy, and endeared himself to him. Jeffeth Bayweather. The two took on the same surname, both of them without real families, two orphans decided they could be their own family. With Andry's wit and Jeffeth's brawn the two were able to survive the lowers and grow well enough. While Jeffeth was swayed by the stories of the Knights Solace, Andry made sure they had solid connections to the Cullers, a family with known criminal connections in the Lower Boroughs. He always appreciated the thought of just taking what you want in this world. And so he made sure to endear himself to the Cullers, that they would look upon him kindly. But when his adoptive brother became a fully Godsworn knight, Andry wasn't far behind. Becoming Godsworn meant a life being taken care of. Of course he had to become a bit more in tune with the Gods that he was originally inclined, and eventually he took a great liking to Gild. Feeling more of a kinship with the Goddess than he expected. While still much was expected of Andry, it was never very hard for him. Looking after his pocket of trusted individuals, Andry became a well known Knight of Solace, famed for his keen eye and sharp wit as well as the edge of his blades. Andry is always sure to keep those he is close to happy and safe. While they may be on either side of the tracks, Andry feels deeply indebted to both the Cullers and the Knights of Solace. Though now, his duty is to protect those who could not protect themselves. And hey, make some money on the side.
  s. And hey, make some money on the side.)
• Ansel Telmar  + (Ansel knows that many are extremely jealou …
  Ansel knows that many are extremely jealous of any noble that has the good fortune to be born the son of a powerful and influential duke, but all things the same he would have been much happier being raised a farmer's son. Duke Arn has a reputation as gruff, mean spirited, painfully blunt, callous, ruthless, often dishonorable, and unrelentingly unlikeable. And those are by his allies. Ansel, on the other hand, is the Duke's son who was born after a disappointing string of older siblings (who Arn never forgot to inform them of such) and then finally settling on his bookish, good natured, and gentle-hearted son. Those traits, of course, would simply not stand. Ansel's earliest memory was his first kindly tutor being put in stocks and publicly whipped before being exiled from the Telmarch for having the audacity to suggest that Ansel, with his love for book loving, would make a wonderful Scholar of Vellichor. It was a slight to suggest that any son of Arn's (and, still to date and much to Ansel's dismay, since his elder brother Tobias feld he receives most of this attention), would be anything but a ferocious warrior and ruthless knight to carry on the battle legacy of House Telmar and defend the Telmarch. Briefly, Ansel had the fond hope that his uncle Lord Everard would keep the position of Sword of the Telmarch and remain champion of the house, and allow Ansel to do anything but train relentlessly in the questionable art of killing people with sharp objects. Sadly, his father Duke Arn dashed those hopes, and made certain that Ansel knew (and repeatedly reminded him every day during brutal drills) that the sword was just in his uncle's keeping, and Ansel would be a great warrior and the new champion of the house when he came of age whether he liked it or not. And would of course represent the family in duels of honor and fights to the death if need be. And Ansel had better like it. The thing that really disturbs Ansel the most is he might even like being a knight if it wasn't for his father. Training with swords is fun, even if he prefers books and could probably have done without his father graphically describing just the best way to end an opponent's life in the most unnecessarily vivid detail. But even though he didn't ask for it and didn't particularly want it, he still he feels he could be a better Duke of the Telmarch on that fateful day when Arn finally dies, if for some reason the Duke passes over his siblings. He hopes he can be a better man. Ansel is pretty sure he can't be much worse.
  sel is pretty sure he can't be much worse.)
• Donovan Grayson  + (Anyone could forgive Donovan's extended fa …
  Anyone could forgive Donovan's extended family, those countless cousins, aunts and uncles, if their memory of the little Prince is somewhat lacking. It is easy to overlook a quiet younger sibling in the presence of their older, more socially apt and bright brother; not that Donovan was ever bitter over this fact. Donovan was never far from his brother's side, or just an arm's reach behind him, keeping quiet and trying to emulate even just a sliver of Calarian's gift with people. Children grow up though and Donovan eventually found his own fascination, and talent, in law. Lacking the usual Grayson heroic streak, Donovan wasn't interested in the 'guards and robbers', 'good guys catching the bad guys and being a hero' sort of law; rather the 'you know about this loophole, right?' sort. That he was exceptionally good at it came with its drawbacks; sharp wit and legalese made his adolescence almost unbearable for his parents. As an adult he refined his knowledge, and honed his wit for the benefit of his family acting as legal counsel on various affairs, all of which were handled with due discretion and settled quickly. He moved about the Crownlands with it, dealing in disputes and minor conflicts between vassal houses within the realm of the family's holdings. He may not have always made friends, but then, Donovan squared with himself a long time ago he is not here to be friends with people -- he is here as a representative of the law, and the law does not yield to emotion. Anyway, a person doesn't become a lawyer to be popular, do they? The city of Arx offers a great deal of opportunity for a young Prince, one of which, would be to make a name for himself outside of his own family within the various courts of the Compact. This at least, was what his mother informed him. Donovan is not quite so convinced; what with Calarian already present, being wonderful and casting an obnoxiously long shadow to stand in.
  ng an obnoxiously long shadow to stand in.)
• Zetta Varano  + (Anyone who is anyone should know the Varan …
  Anyone who is anyone should know the Varano family. According to the Varano family, at least. Zetta is the matriarch of the family, having stepped into the role after her cousin recently died. This means that she now controls a small, but profitable, merchant family that has been operating around the Lyceum. They are known for being able to get things from point A to point B, and they are fairly typical when it comes to merchant families. Some might accuse them of being uppity for commoners due to the wealth they tend to flaunt. But despite that, there has never once been any indication that any member of the family has ever stepped foot out of their place. Not even rumors, it seems. Zetta herself is the third child, but the oldest remaining living child, of the previous matriarch of the family. Her mother ended up stepping down when she was having difficulty with her eyes, letting her sister's son take over the family and the business. Zetta, for her part, was married and busy being a mother and simply working as part of the well-run business of the family. She was never being eyed for taking over, never even seemed to want it. Until her cousin abruptly got sick and died. Of course, there were whispers and rumors...but it was proven fairly quickly that her cousin had in fact done the deed to themselves by eating the bad shell fish that came in off one of the boats. Everyone in the family had warned him about it, too. As appropriate, there was mourning as her cousin was well liked by everyone, including her. But business is business, and she stepped into the role. By now her children were old enough to be off on their own adventures, her husband was dead long years ago, and Zetta needed a new adventure of her own to occupy her time. So she decided to pick up stakes and head to Arx to see what she could find.
  nd head to Arx to see what she could find.)
• Donella Redrain  + (Anywhere else in the Compact, Donella woul …
  Anywhere else in the Compact, Donella would have been born the heir presumptive to a great house. But she was not born anywhere but Maelstrom, and to no other family but Thrax in a time when only sons would rise. All the same, before the untimely deaths of good Prince Elton and Princess Dena, she was well-educated and trained to exemplify Thrax virtues. She learned to embrace ALL her heritage with clear-eyed realism, and learned statecraft, diplomacy, and economics, while her siblings were allowed more idealistic pursuits. Amongst a generation of war-orphaned princes and princesses, Donella showed the most early promise as an administrator and politician... or simply provided the best means to shame the princes, as Prince Donrai made her his Voice. Probably, some expected her to end as a cautionary tale, but instead she proved resilient. Her leadership went a long way toward stabilizing the Isles after her grandfather's death and the rise of another High Lord; one who also made her Voice, and later heir. Her time as Voice opened the way for women, as a proponent for the measured undoing of customs serving only to weaken, and divide the Isles from the rest of the Compact. It seemed Donella might standing behind the throne in the Isles forever, until she unexpectedly accepted an offer of marriage from Prince Darren Redrain of Farhaven. A smart match made, they say, for love of all things.
  ch made, they say, for love of all things.)
• Apollis Malvici  + (Apollis was born in Granato and became the …
  Apollis was born in Granato and became the eldest brother of four. Through his whole childhood he'd have to endure constant scrutiny and suspicion, much deserved. He was a hellion and rabble rouser. He was often the one inciting others to fight rather than being the one to get into a fight. Then during the chaos he'd make off with the coin purses. He'd often go off on his own urban 'adventures' where he'd come across 'hidden treasure' just sitting around. While his sisters were content with a different kind of adventuring he was often playing with Abandoned children and getting into places he had no business being in. After growing up a little the boy mostly put aside his troublemaking ways but his path was definitely chosen. He wasn't going to be a stuffy noble do-nothing. He was going to go out and experience things. That's why his match to his Malvici love was so opportunistic. They both shared a love of treasure hunting - some might call it grave robbing and ruin looting. They traveled all over Arvum together before she was suddenly befallen with a strange illness. In a matter of days she had died in the Northlands during one of their adventures. Once again Apollis was met with scrutiny and suspicion on his eventual return to Southport. He wondered if he'd ever live it down or if anyone would offer him the comfort he needed in his time of mourning. Unsatisfied with how he was being treated he left once again to find his fame and fortune in Arx.
  again to find his fame and fortune in Arx.)
• Appolonia Seraceni  + (Appolonia is the daughter of Isabella Prav …
  Appolonia is the daughter of Isabella Pravus, a minor daughter of that great house, and Admando Seraceni, a seasoned corsair who died of an infection in war with the Argento. From a young age, Appolonia struggled against the restraints of knowledge. What happens when we grow older? Why are some things hidden from us, for "when we are older" or never at all? What dangers does such information hold? How can we prepare for these dangers if we don't know any better? (Such latter lines of thought spoke of a budding talent for social manipulation.) Appolonia sought to spite her tutors, learning more by her womanhood than many of the highborn learn in their entire lives. She soon exhausted the stock of common knowledge, although she retains it and deploys it at her command. She sought the restricted, the unknown, the hidden. To know that which few, or no-one else knew. It was the only way to be... Safe. Mother encouraged this. Mother helped her daughter learn the hidden ways, such as they were. Some people in Seraceni raised their eyebrows, but Isabella's grace and charm poured oil over ruffled feathers. (Is that the analogy? Ducks have oil, you know, in their tails. When they preen, they're smearing it over themselves.) Appolonia struggled with the new Marquis, Dario, on this matter. Her occult studies were a rift between them. Of course, such matters have moved along, although she is often feared in a subtle way within the household. Whispered about, but never to. Less cryptically, Appolonia is also fascinated with tales of foreign lands, although she has taken a special interest in Eurusi culture and fashions and more. She is fluent in the Eurusi language (if perhaps not perfect - few people to practice with in Arx) and hopes to travel the world, one day - perhaps simply as a tourist, perhaps as more. Appolonia wants to find something - not simply power, or wealth, or even love, though she is no ascetic. She seeks something else. She herself has trouble articulating it... or reluctance; and the two are awfully hard to tell apart.
  nd the two are awfully hard to tell apart.)
• Arcadia Leary  + (Arcadia, Cady to her family, had the misfo …
  Arcadia, Cady to her family, had the misfortune of being born into an incredibly loving family who had the bad grace to be uniformly bookish and scholarly. Where her family enjoyed lengthy dinner discussions about the newest research one of her siblings was engaged in, Arcadia thought she would much rather stab herself with a fork repeatedly; at least it would be more exciting. She had the best of tutors, so long as the tutoring was in history or science or theology. Instead, she longed for tutors of her own choosing: swordmasters, adventurers, hunters, sailors, knights! Over the years (and often with the help of formal presentations created by her sister Elloise), Arcadia would lobby her well-meaning parents to allow her one of these. Any of these! Just pick one! And they finally relented. A bit. Arcadia was allowed to train once a week under one of Leaholdt's hunters. Off with him in the woods, a bow in her hand, stealthy and on the hunt - that's where Arcadia spent her happiest childhood years. But still, she longed for more. More to do! More to see! More to try! As Cady got older, Elloise started recruiting her for help with her scientific experiments. Cady didn't particularly care about the experiments or their results, but she was all too happy to run off to hunt down whatever rare ingredients her sister might need for them. An adventure! Or as much adventure as one can get in Leaholdt, anyway. And when Elly started petitioning their parents to send her to Arx, Arcadia threw herself in with her. "It will be fine!" she promised. "Elly and Fairen will make sure I stay out of trouble!" Arcadia knows it's only because of Elloise and Fairen that she's being allowed to go, but who cares! She's on her way! An endless world of possibilities await her, and a city full of people to teach her things!
  a city full of people to teach her things!)
• Arcadia Stahlben  + (Arcadia, Cady to her family, had the misfo …
  Arcadia, Cady to her family, had the misfortune of being born into an incredibly loving family who had the bad grace to be uniformly bookish and scholarly. Where her family enjoyed lengthy dinner discussions about the newest research one of her siblings was engaged in, Arcadia thought she would much rather stab herself with a fork repeatedly; at least it would be more exciting. She had the best of tutors, so long as the tutoring was in history or science or theology. Instead, she longed for tutors of her own choosing: swordmasters, adventurers, hunters, sailors, knights! Over the years (and often with the help of formal presentations created by her sister Elloise), Arcadia would lobby her well-meaning parents to allow her one of these. Any of these! Just pick one! And they finally relented. A bit. Arcadia was allowed to train once a week under one of Leaholdt's hunters. Off with him in the woods, a bow in her hand, stealthy and on the hunt - that's where Arcadia spent her happiest childhood years. But still, she longed for more. More to do! More to see! More to try! As Cady got older, Elloise started recruiting her for help with her scientific experiments. Cady didn't particularly care about the experiments or their results, but she was all too happy to run off to hunt down whatever rare ingredients her sister might need for them. An adventure! Or as much adventure as one can get in Leaholdt, anyway. And when Elly started petitioning their parents to send her to Arx, Arcadia threw herself in with her. "It will be fine!" she promised. "Elly and Fairen will make sure I stay out of trouble!" Arcadia knows it's only because of Elloise and Fairen that she's being allowed to go, but who cares! She's on her way! An endless world of possibilities await her, and a city full of people to teach her things!
  a city full of people to teach her things!)
• Arcelia Saik  + (Arcelia was born in the Saikland Greens to …
  Arcelia was born in the Saikland Greens to Giovanna and Aaron Saik where she was raised until she was twelve years old, spending a couple months a year down in Southport. During her early childhood it was discovered that she had a talent for performance, specifically dancing. The lady was a fun loving type of woman and being raised as a noble around many warriors she developed a love for being beautiful and for adventure. She loved playing in the mud, throwing it at anyone she wanted to get to play with her. Likewise, she enjoyed climbing trees and jumping out of them at her friends. And eventually she learned to enjoy sailing as well. She loved playing with the other Malvici and Saik children when she was able, tagging along with the older kids and terrorizing some of them with mud when she was able. She was attentive and loved to learn but she could never sit still, swaying and dancing while she listened to lectures. Though, this did not stunt the woman's ability to pick up the skills she needed and in fact made it easier for her to learn. Arcelia had a strong relationship with her two siblings growing up. Estaban developed a very protective side for Arcelia, his beloved outlook on her always keeping danger away. Even from lovers in her teen years. She was close to her sister as well, the two of them being close enough in age to have played with one another in their youth. When she was twelve years old she moved to Nilanza where she was fostered by the Argento. Salazar Argento seeing that she got a good education so that she could be a future diplomat. She had some rare but very valuable encounters with Venta Darkwater(Venta Argento), seeing the woman for some of her educational needs whenever the woman was there and available to tutor the young girl. She learned how to sail with the Argento as well, Salazar being one who ensured she was able to nourish her adventurous side. Estaban Saik and two women assisted in teaching Arcelia when they were in the area as well. The two women teaching Arcelia how to be a stronger woman as she faced dangerous storms and lecherous sailors. During Arcelia's time in Nilanza she met many people and created many bonds. She became known there for being overly curious and difficult to keep a watch on, the girl sneaking out to spend time away where she could explore and learn about the world. Though by the time she was sent home Arcelia was a bit more tame, time having taken its course in helping her grow up a bit... but only a bit. When Arcelia was sixteen years old she returned to the Saikland Greens and her family. It was felt that her education there was complete and that the best way for her to continue her growth was to go out and test her skills directly. She was told to be patient and seek out a good mentor for future training, someone who would help give her real experience as a diplomat. Over the years she has never attempted to approach anyone, so far as it is known, about this. When Arcelia was back home again she spent a lot of time missing Nilanza and the friends she had made there. As a result, she went through a small period of depression, adapting again within a few months and finding the joys once experienced as a young girl. Arcelia refused any conversation of marriage for years, only coming to terms with the idea in recent months. Though, the idea of falling in love was one she openly said she did not want to do, going as far as to beat a boy who spoke to her in poetry until he agreed not to pursue her heart anymore. She had no desire to marry and would do so only for her family and love was a scary thing that caused her friends and family pain, she vowed that she would not fall in love until she was married. It was the silly hope of a naive young girl who did not understand that the heart has no master. While she was in the Saiklands, Arcelia did a lot of volunteer work. She helped secure resources and jobs for people in need. Food, water, and medicine being brought to people directly by the young noble. She even helped people find jobs and shelter and watched over children when their parents were ill, finding them new homes when parents passed away. Recently, Baroness Kima called for Arcelia to join her in Arx, the woman having some plans for the girls future. There are whispers that the young Arcelia is here to search for a husband as well as aid her family in diplomatic matters.
  l as aid her family in diplomatic matters.)
• Arcelia Navegant  + (Arcelia was born in the Saikland Greens to …
  Arcelia was born in the Saikland Greens to Giovanna and Aaron Saik where she was raised until she was twelve years old, spending a couple months a year down in Southport. During her early childhood it was discovered that she had a talent for performance, specifically dancing. The lady was a fun loving type of woman and being raised as a noble around many warriors she developed a love for being beautiful and for adventure. She loved playing in the mud, throwing it at anyone she wanted to get to play with her. Likewise, she enjoyed climbing trees and jumping out of them at her friends. And eventually she learned to enjoy sailing as well. She loved playing with the other Malvici and Saik children when she was able, tagging along with the older kids and terrorizing some of them with mud when she was able. She was attentive and loved to learn but she could never sit still, swaying and dancing while she listened to lectures. Though, this did not stunt the woman's ability to pick up the skills she needed and in fact made it easier for her to learn. Arcelia had a strong relationship with her two siblings growing up. Estaban developed a very protective side for Arcelia, his beloved outlook on her always keeping danger away. Even from lovers in her teen years. She was close to her sister as well, the two of them being close enough in age to have played with one another in their youth. When she was twelve years old she moved to Nilanza where she was fostered by the Argento. Salazar Argento seeing that she got a good education so that she could be a future diplomat. She had some rare but very valuable encounters with Venta Darkwater(Venta Argento), seeing the woman for some of her educational needs whenever the woman was there and available to tutor the young girl. She learned how to sail with the Argento as well, Salazar being one who ensured she was able to nourish her adventurous side. Estaban Saik and two women assisted in teaching Arcelia when they were in the area as well. The two women teaching Arcelia how to be a stronger woman as she faced dangerous storms and lecherous sailors. During Arcelia's time in Nilanza she met many people and created many bonds. She became known there for being overly curious and difficult to keep a watch on, the girl sneaking out to spend time away where she could explore and learn about the world. Though by the time she was sent home Arcelia was a bit more tame, time having taken its course in helping her grow up a bit... but only a bit. When Arcelia was sixteen years old she returned to the Saikland Greens and her family. It was felt that her education there was complete and that the best way for her to continue her growth was to go out and test her skills directly. She was told to be patient and seek out a good mentor for future training, someone who would help give her real experience as a diplomat. Over the years she has never attempted to approach anyone, so far as it is known, about this. When Arcelia was back home again she spent a lot of time missing Nilanza and the friends she had made there. As a result, she went through a small period of depression, adapting again within a few months and finding the joys once experienced as a young girl. Arcelia refused any conversation of marriage for years, only coming to terms with the idea in recent months. Though, the idea of falling in love was one she openly said she did not want to do, going as far as to beat a boy who spoke to her in poetry until he agreed not to pursue her heart anymore. She had no desire to marry and would do so only for her family and love was a scary thing that caused her friends and family pain, she vowed that she would not fall in love until she was married. It was the silly hope of a naive young girl who did not understand that the heart has no master. While she was in the Saiklands, Arcelia did a lot of volunteer work. She helped secure resources and jobs for people in need. Food, water, and medicine being brought to people directly by the young noble. She even helped people find jobs and shelter and watched over children when their parents were ill, finding them new homes when parents passed away. Recently, Baroness Kima called for Arcelia to join her in Arx, the woman having some plans for the girls future. There are whispers that the young Arcelia is here to search for a husband as well as aid her family in diplomatic matters.
  l as aid her family in diplomatic matters.)
• Archene Clearwater  + (Archene is a thrall from Cielos Encantador …
  Archene is a thrall from Cielos Encantadores, an island that is part of Darkwater Reach. Son of an apothecary and a dockworker, he was apprenticed to his mother, from whom he got his love for perfumes above other crafts a proper apothecary must learn. During his childhood, he met and befriend the local Lord's youngest daughter, Ariel Darkwater, who was only a years younger than himself. After years helping his mother, he soon obtained enough to buy his way out of thralldom. And having heard that his noble childhood friend moved away to Arx, he gathered the resources he accumulated for a few months before setting off.
  lated for a few months before setting off.)
• Archeron Tyde  + (Archeron was born about 15 minutes before …
  Archeron was born about 15 minutes before his sister Lethe, and thus, born both the oldest and a Tyde Lord, the mantle of 'being the responsible one' was given to him at birth by both his mother and father. From infancy the notion that he is would be responsible for caring for and protecting the family imbued all of his early life lessons. When the twins were 6 years old, their mother Lady Gilda, took them to visit her birth family the Ashfords just before the onset of the Tyde Rebellion and upon hearing of the death if their father, Lord Raymond Tyde, the three were all quietly absorbed into the Ashford family without a word to anyone and there they stayed for the next 13 years. For entirely different reasons than his sister, Archeron flourished in the Grey Forest, there seemed to be something right to him about steady ground under his feet that he had never experienced in the unsteady world of ships and sea. He climbed trees with his cousins, learned to hunt and track game as a boy and for many years it seemed as he would fall comfortably into the life of a ranger and warden. And then the Silence came to the Grey Forest. Archeron served with the rest of the Ashford rangers to stave off the vile corruptions that wished to destroy his home and for this he is marked forever having gotten caught up in the thorny whip wielded by one of their Shav minions before he was able to put an arrow in underling's eye. When the war ended, the world changed again when word reached them that their father's family had been restored under the union of his cousin Duchess Margot and the former prince and heir to Maelstrom and Archeron's mother asked that he go with his sister to Arx to rejoin their birth family, saying that their opportunities may be better there where they can be what they were board to be. The truth is Archeron aches for the forests he knows and understands already but he knows that his reprieve is over, it is time to pick up the role he was born for to be the protector of not just his sister but his family again.
  not just his sister but his family again.)
• Argos Seraceni  + (Argos is from humble beginnings, but all h …
  Argos is from humble beginnings, but all he has really wanted to do in his like is to become a knight. He left his family's farm the first shot he got to start training, despite his father's protests. He has spent his whole life training for the chance to show some noble that he is better than any knight despite his rank. He quickly developed his fighting abilities and got noticed by a guard. He then got proper training and a job. After a year or two he left this post to seek out a proper lord to serve. To Argos nothing is more important than the his duty.
  thing is more important than the his duty.)
• Aria Gilden  + (Aria was the sort of child who loved to sw …
  Aria was the sort of child who loved to swordfight with sticks, sneak into the pantries, terrorize the maids, and climb the trees. Her health declined as she grew toward the age of ten, however, and as she spent less tiem outside she spent more studying and endearing herself with the household. She's become a conscientious woman who often acts in her uncle's stead as a representative of House Gilden or manages the household when he is away. Arianna is one of the likely choices for heir as he seems unlikely to have children. Much remains to be seen, of course. She is known to be dependable and conscientious, as well as bright. While she'll never be athletic Arianna's health seems to have improved and she'll take walks and join for parties that she didn't as a youth.
  in for parties that she didn't as a youth.)
• Arianna Stonewood  + (Arianna is the only daughter in the Stonew …
  Arianna is the only daughter in the Stonewood family. She was born to her mother who was a proper Lady from a vassal house in the Lyceum, Lady Vayla Pravus. Her father being the Count of Stonewood himself, until he died and her eldest brother Malesh inherited the title. She grew up with a fascination for culture and anthropology. Always a people watcher and a clever girl from the start, she learned how to read before she was able to walk and she spoke quite early. She was pale of skin and fair, her family could not be more proud of their newest addition. Though she was never directly subject to the pressures of her family, their reputation as the reigning house from Pride Hall to Whitehawk was an immense weight to bear. Arianna learned the subtlies of people's mannerisms and customs, the way they held themselves when they were proud or broken. The little tells that people had when they were lying. All of these aspects of psychology intrigued her and she quietly learned by throwing herself into the proverbial lions den. Having been born to the courts and becoming intimately familiar with it, she realized her natural talent at finding out what people needed and providing it for them. Arianna cultivated favors like a farmer cultivates his crop. While the young woman had briefly considered many different vocations, none was more intriguing than that of truth seeker. Or scholar. Though that didn't stop her from also being intrigued by the possibility of becoming a linguist, diplomat, expert on esoterica, or an investigator and skilled in martial pursuits. All in all quite an eclectic array of interests for someone so young, but none the less she has used her talents to further her family's ambitions. While she traveled Arvum for the first time she discovered many interesting things but truly only ended up with more questions than answers. Ever loyal to the causes she devotes herself to, in the time that she has come to the city she has joined several organizations and devoted herself to helping the city thrive after it's most recent tragedies.
  y thrive after it's most recent tragedies.)
• Arianna Fireviper  + (Arianna is the only daughter in the Stonew …
  Arianna is the only daughter in the Stonewood family. She was born to her mother who was a proper Lady from a vassal house in the Lyceum, Lady Vayla Pravus. Her father being the Count of Stonewood himself, until he died and her eldest brother Malesh inherited the title. She grew up with a fascination for culture and anthropology. Always a people watcher and a clever girl from the start, she learned how to read before she was able to walk and she spoke quite early. She was pale of skin and fair, her family could not be more proud of their newest addition. Though she was never directly subject to the pressures of her family, their reputation as the reigning house from Pride Hall to Whitehawk was an immense weight to bear. Arianna learned the subtlies of people's mannerisms and customs, the way they held themselves when they were proud or broken. The little tells that people had when they were lying. All of these aspects of psychology intrigued her and she quietly learned by throwing herself into the proverbial lions den. Having been born to the courts and becoming intimately familiar with it, she realized her natural talent at finding out what people needed and providing it for them. Arianna cultivated favors like a farmer cultivates his crop. While the young woman had briefly considered many different vocations, none was more intriguing than that of truth seeker. Or scholar. Though that didn't stop her from also being intrigued by the possibility of becoming a linguist, diplomat, expert on esoterica, or an investigator and skilled in martial pursuits. All in all quite an eclectic array of interests for someone so young, but none the less she has used her talents to further her family's ambitions. While she traveled Arvum for the first time she discovered many interesting things but truly only ended up with more questions than answers. Ever loyal to the causes she devotes herself to, in the time that she has come to the city she has joined several organizations and devoted herself to helping the city thrive after it's most recent tragedies.
  y thrive after it's most recent tragedies.)
• Arianna Pravus  + (Arianna was born the only daughter in the …
  Arianna was born the only daughter in the Stonewood family, born to a Lycene mother from Setarco. Lady Vayla Pravus instilled a lot of herself in her daughter and insisted on raising her child in the Lyceum. It was an unusual request, all things considered, seeing as it was in Lenosia and not Setarco that the girl was raised. Alongside other notables within House Velenosa like her Pravus cousins and Luca, the little Crownlander existed practically as a member of the fealty. She spent summers in Setarco and learned about the paramount House of the Silken City while she did so but rarely did she ever return to the lands of the House which she and her mother owed fealty. Her brothers and cousins in House Stonewood were not too keen of this but her father did not seem to mind it so and nothing was done about it until the man died and the Marquis Malesh took his place. She was summoned back to the House and parted ways with her mother who did not wish to return to a that House when she was welcome back in Setarco. Arianna's return was met with mixed feelings but her clever ways and principled upbringing in the Lyceum made her savvy and a useful advisor to her brother whom soon after appointed her his Voice. For a long while she did an excellent job at this, staying out of court politics and tending to the affairs of her lands that had belonged to her father. She was unhappy with her place in life and took to many hobbies to fill the voice, in time these hobbies became pursuits and these pursuits into careers. Trained in the Ministry of Defense as an Agent, working as an Investigator with the Iron Guard, spending time in the archives with Scholars, and even going so far as joining a company of sellswords that fought in many of the Compact's most recent wars. Being a famous sellsword and having a penchant for dark humor didn't win her many friends, but since she did so well in her duties as Voice that the public backlash for her activities and penchant for scandal washed over her brother like water off a duck's back. Of course, this put tension on the relations between native Stonewoods and this Lycene girl in Crownlands clothing. Inquiries were made and loyalties were tested and ultimately the House was better served without her leadership, and even if her brother hadn't decided on this for her - the Pravosi girl threw in the chips and stepped down not just in Stonewood but elsewhere. She withdrew from the world at large and returned to Stonehearth to, presumably, attend Reform School. It's the worst kind of punishment for Lycene, especially when attending an institution with dour matrons and delinquent Crownlander nobles. Suffice to say upon her return Arianna was quite well behaved and leaned even more so upon her Lycene upbringing. She left Stonewood to join Fireviper as the Sword of Cinder at her brother Gailin's request but even still she grew more distant from the Crownlanders and looked to home. Eventually the Count of Fireviper released her from her oath of fealty so she could return to Pravus and so she did.
  she could return to Pravus and so she did.)
• Arianwen Grayhope  + (Arianwen can be maddeningly tight-lipped a …
  Arianwen can be maddeningly tight-lipped about her past, but can anyone really blame a Lower Boroughs girl for her privacy? Especially one that grew up in the rowdiest and darkest slums in the lowliest section of Arx? Nevertheless, most know by now that Chanse Grayhope either practically raised her, or perhaps he just happened to be nearby while she grew up on her own. Whatever the truth, she often casually introduces herself with the Innkeeper's family name appended. Regulars at the Murder of Crows would have also heard something terribly unkind occurred to her biological parents, which caused her to experience a short stint as a street urchin before her double digit years, and before appropriating a room at the inn. These days, she's happy to make a living as the preeminent tavern maid for the underbelly of Arx - singing numerous merry tunes, demanding the compliance of drunken ne'er-do-wells, and making a pretty penny washing clothes or tending to bar brawl injuries on the side. Famous for her beauty and the melodramatic stories sung of her by sea-bound sailors, it is the rare individual that dares to truly harm the beloved Star-Eyed River Nymph of Arx.
  the beloved Star-Eyed River Nymph of Arx.)
• Ariel Darkwater  + (Ariel is the the youngest daughter to a Lo …
  Ariel is the the youngest daughter to a Lord of Darkwater and a Lady who was from the noble family of Moonriver. She has an older sister and an older brother but sadly their mother died while birthing little Ariel. Their father, Santiago, had much sorrow when this occurred. Due to the sadness that was caused by the loss, the fact they were living at Darkwater Watch made things easier for her father, Ariel took up dancing as her passion. Now her father has sent her to Arx to assist her cousin Max with whatever he will need. She is quite excited to explore the city, though not to eventually seek out a husband as he father wishes. All on her mind is family, dancing and the sea being her only mistresses for the time being. She is quite the little social butterfly and absolutely adores throwing parties.
  ly and absolutely adores throwing parties.)
• Ariel Stonewood  + (Ariel is the the youngest daughter to a Lo …
  Ariel is the the youngest daughter to a Lord of Darkwater and a Lady who was from the noble family of Moonriver. She has an older sister and an older brother but sadly their mother died while birthing little Ariel. Their father, Santiago, had much sorrow when this occurred. Due to the sadness that was caused by the loss, the fact they were living at Darkwater Watch made things easier for her father, Ariel took up dancing as her passion. Now her father has sent her to Arx to assist her cousin Max with whatever he will need. She is quite excited to explore the city, though not to eventually seek out a husband as he father wishes. All on her mind is family, dancing and the sea being her only mistresses for the time being. She is quite the little social butterfly and absolutely adores throwing parties.
  ly and absolutely adores throwing parties.)
• Arion Harrow  + (Arion Harrow is the youngest of a rather l …
  Arion Harrow is the youngest of a rather large family with ancestors who were Prodigal. Growing up in the Lower Boroughs with his siblings and grandfather after his parents died was exceptionally hard on the gentle tempered yet sharp minded boy. He was often the target of the other boys who found the weak bodied Arion and his long red hair all to easy to pick on. However the crimson haired boy was fast on his feet and charming enough to convince some of the older boys to 'discourage' his bullies. Arion learned at an early age to be creative and charming to get things done. An inquisitve child Arion often found himself exploring outside of the Lower Boroughs. The fact that his kneen sense of smell and vanity drove him to take great pains to keep his appearance clean and neat helped him not look too out of place as he explored the finer parts of the city. He managed to catch the attention of a local apothecary who worked in the Ward of the Compact and after a few years of running errands and doing chores, the man finally agreed to teach the young Arion his art Arion enjoyed learning. It started a near obsessive desire for knowledge in his mind and after his mentor taught him how to read and write he began exploring every text he found interesting. His mentor had studied several subjects and Arion enjoyed learning about as many of them as he could The next few years were spent in quite study until the young man came of age and was deemed a proper apothecary in his own right. Now he is trying to make his own way, either by starting up a shop of his own once he has the funds or by offering his services to another. While he remains somewhat untraditional for a Harrow, he has still kept good relations with most of his siblings as well. Now he just has to make a name for himself and prove that even though he has no desire to oin the Iron Guard like his ancestors he can still be useful.
  like his ancestors he can still be useful.)
• Armani Gilden  + (Armani is one of the children of Kordelia …
  Armani is one of the children of Kordelia Gilden. She was, most assuredly, a child of the seas. Almost before she could walk and talk Armani was making her way onto boats and trying to travel out to the seas, to feel the wind on her face and to taste the salt on her tongue. Her life was devoted to becoming a Captain of the Sea, though, her mother felt the need to assure Armani had a feminine touch to her and built up her interest in shiny things as well as got her into scholarly things. This divided Armani's love into four things: jewelry, the sea, reading, and writing. As she proved to be a skilled seaman she quickly rose through the ranks of the Gilden naval forces to become the Admiral of the fleets.
  orces to become the Admiral of the fleets.)
• Julia Grayson  + (Around Bastion and in the Grayson manor, s …
  Around Bastion and in the Grayson manor, she's known as Aunt Julia. No one can quite remember how exactly they're related to her, and most just assume it's so far out on the fringe as to not matter. And so this older Grayson has simply taken on the name of Aunt Julia. Most of the younger generation can probably remember a time when they've sat with her around a fire, eating sweets and listening to harrowing tails of ghost stories or of her adventures throughout the Gray Forest and Beyond. And do no be fooled into thinking that the stories she weaves do not have at least some measure of truth to them. Julia has spent her life working as a kind of bounty hunter, feeling drawn to the work. It's not escaped prisoners she looks for though, but the requests of towns who have nowhere else to turn for assistance. It's the strange adds in taverns advertising a basilisk in a nearby swamp; the village that claims to be haunted by the damned undead; or the hamlet that's known no sleep since the banshee wail begins. Most folks would tell you those things are fictional. The ghosts were just prospectors trying to run off the locals from a silver mine. The basilisk was some large lizard. And most of the time Julia would just smile and say, "Of course, but the work needed doing." Most of the time. Then, a few years back, Julia surprised the family by announcing one day she was taking her Godsworn vows. Since then she's been in service to the Pantheon, mostly hanging out with the Harlequins and the other Death Priests. She had a real calling for it. When asked she'd mostly joke it was all the years she'd spent ghost hunting, only now she got to do it in the service of a goddess.
  got to do it in the service of a goddess.)
• Arta Fatchforth  + (Arta Fatchforth, a daughter of the industr …
  Arta Fatchforth, a daughter of the industrious Fatchforth family. She was born and raised in a farming community among farmers. Her education and skills have been very much effected by this, she is also the adoptive big sister of Sparte Fatchforth whom she used to torment relentlessly during their time together most often beating him in a competition or another being six years his senior. Growing up she became a stablemaster of some skill and renown for having a natural way and a bond with animals. She was also more or less skilled in herblore which led to her developing a secondary career in medicine. However her medical career wasn't as prominent as her stable.
  career wasn't as prominent as her stable.)
• Arthen Dayne  + (Arthen Dayne's life was always going to be …
  Arthen Dayne's life was always going to be a thing of stories, whether he was telling them, or part of them, or chasing them into the wild forever of the great unknown. Even his origins were a mysterious thing, brimming with potential for tales. Quite simply, he showed up at the front door of an orphanage in Arx, swaddled in wool and furs, with a small pouch of silver and a short note that was light on helpful information and a bit thick about pleading to the establishment that he should be taken care of. And so he was. Mostly. At least until he could get around on his own. Arthen grew into a child full of questions, held captive by the wonder of the world around him. No rock ever went unturned, even if the better of some of those rocks ended up in his pocket for the sake of mischief or self-defense. It can be hard being half-raised by the streets, and harder still when your natural inclination is to get into anything you shouldn't. As much as curiosity was a part of his life, so too was trouble. Even so, while the ruffian's want for answers would carry him across the width and breadth of Arx, it would carry him also into books, and those books would carry him across the rest of Arvum, in time. Though a young Arthen Dayne loved daring stories of adventure, it was the histories that really set him on his path. Or rather, the realization that they didn't just lie in dusty old tomes, but happened out in - and as part of - the world, and so many of those histories were unfinished, forgotten, or just plain wrong. If there were things yet left to be discovered or corrected, Dayne decided he would be the one to do it. His intentions were entirely altruistic and for the sake of knowledge, no matter what some rumors said or how many times he might have secretly fenced off an importart part of cultural history to a private collector for considerable sums of silver. A man has to eat, after all. Years before those with an exploratory bent were formalized into an actual society, Arthen's tenacious hunger for glory and uncovering the lost past brought him to all corners of Arvum, mostly working independently for the highest bidder so he could afford to also work on his own personal projects. Eventually a chance encounter and some shared stories with Darren Redrain would land the lifelong adventurer a place in Redrain's fealty as a personal historian and acquisitions specialist for the north's Greatest House. During the Siege of Arx, Dayne disappeared without a word, presumed dead, and remaining as such until the Winter of 1009 AR, when he returned more full of tales than ever. Though he looked a bit older, and life had roughed him up a little, that was all that had changed. No danger was still too great for him, no mystery too small, and he carried a thirst to uncover them all. To the last.
  thirst to uncover them all. To the last.)
• Arthur Russo  + (Arthur Russo was born into a very impoveri …
  Arthur Russo was born into a very impoverished part of Southport. His father was a brute, thief and compulsive gambler, while his mother was addicted to a handful of very terrible drugs. The fact that he managed to get out of that life and into a better one is a miracle in and of itself, since he knowsd of more then a few people from his old home that never did. When he was about seven the abuse got too rough, and he finally fled home. He ended up an urchin, begging and stealing and doing odd jobs to live. During one especially rough winter he snuck into a leatherworker's home and tried to steal some food. He was caught by the man and his wife. They took pity on him and brought him in. They had been trying, unsuccessfully, for children for several years, and saw this as a chance. The two were stern, but loving, and Arthur became the man's apprentice. It turned out Arthur was a natural, and he loved the work. He adored other forms of creation as well, whether cooking or other things, and he took strongly to the faith of Jayus. He considers him a personal patron, and he tries to live his life by his teachings (Though he charges for his work). Eventually he was doing many of the more intense works for his 'father', though often the credit was given to his master, since he was a credited leatherworker, and not some young apprentice. Eventually a member of the Malvici came to the area, and he made her an incredible set of leathers. She discovered it was really Arthur that did the work, and she made a mental note of it. Years later, Arthur began his military service, and the Malvici saw some of his more recent work. She arranged things for him to serve the House as a smith for his military service, and now here he is...
  is military service, and now here he is...)
• Artorius Malvici  + (Artorius grew up in Southport along with t …
  Artorius grew up in Southport along with the rest of his Malvici cousins and his sister Caelis. Like all who grow up in this regimented military meritocracy, he easily found his way to the sword. Childhood was fairly easy for him, but that all changed during the Tor-Southport war. Not quite old enough to fight, and not young enough to forget, Artorius was permanently shaped by the events of that conflict. As time moved on and Artorius' travels eventually lead him to the southern end of the Gray Forest, where he had the fortune to run into a Lady Victoria Ashford. She with her sly passionate way about things seemed to lure him in almost immediately. It wasn't long before the two of them were wed. Their marriage was blessed with a child shortly thereafter. A little girl they named Serah. Only two years after Serah's birth, Lady Victoria Ashford contracted an illness and died. Her death left Artotius absolutely heartbroken. He wandered Arvum for a few years, coming home to visit with his daughter as often as his broken heart would allow. It was only when he had heard his sister was called to help the Malvici family in Arx that he too decided it was time to pick up his blade in service of the family once more. Taking Serah with him this time, her journeyed to Arx in hopes of making a difference on the Compact's war efforts.
  a difference on the Compact's war efforts.)
• Artorius Magnotta  + (Artorius grew up in Southport along with t …
  Artorius grew up in Southport along with the rest of his Malvici cousins and his sister Caelis. Like all who grow up in this regimented military meritocracy, he easily found his way to the sword. Childhood was fairly easy for him, but that all changed during the Tor-Southport war. Not quite old enough to fight, and not young enough to forget, Artorius was permanently shaped by the events of that conflict. As time moved on and Artorius' travels eventually lead him to the southern end of the Gray Forest, where he had the fortune to run into a Lady Victoria Ashford. She with her sly passionate way about things seemed to lure him in almost immediately. It wasn't long before the two of them were wed. Their marriage was blessed with a child shortly thereafter. A little girl they named Serah. Only two years after Serah's birth, Lady Victoria Ashford contracted an illness and died. Her death left Artotius absolutely heartbroken. He wandered Arvum for a few years, coming home to visit with his daughter as often as his broken heart would allow. It was only when he had heard his sister was called to help the Malvici family in Arx that he too decided it was time to pick up his blade in service of the family once more. Taking Serah with him this time, her journeyed to Arx in hopes of making a difference on the Compact's war efforts.
  a difference on the Compact's war efforts.)
• Artur Redrain  + (Artur was a happy child, with the joy and …
  Artur was a happy child, with the joy and energy of a young boy raised by parents with a good balance of benevolent distance and bland-edged discipline. His closest supervision was from a crotchety old shaman whose stories evolved as Artur aged, retaining his attention cleverly by incorporating more boogers and farts once Artur reached a certain age, and peppering his storytelling with blood and guts liberally throughout his childhood. Indoors, Artur had a little sister to equal parts torment and defend; outdoors, he had worlds to conquer, many of them entirely fueled by his own mind. As a boy, every day of his was filled with imagination games. One day he would be an evil wizard bent on world domination -- "please make sure you clean your hands and wash behind your ears when you're done building your sorcerous tower, dear" -- and the next day, a shining beacon of purity and light, showing the world the benefits of a true paladin -- "what a clever sword, Artur, did you make it from a stick?" -- and the day after, a secretly infiltrated dwarf agent, stealthing through the manor with daring surreptitiousness -- "we can see you hiding under the table, my prince, as I'm afraid your boots are sticking out." As he grew and learned his lessons and studied with swordmasters and trained in (oh no) etiquette like a good prince, his imagination games grew no less colorful, if they grew subtler; in his teen years, his flights of fancy he kept to scribblings in his journal, artistic translations of this visiting diplomat into an elven infiltrator bent on seducing his mother, or that complex arithmetic economics problem being illustrated with dragons and eggs instead of sacks of grain. He doodled constantly, and made stories in his head, and although he wasn't secretive about them, he became aware as he moved towards adulthood that they were -- if not childish things to be put aside -- private treasures to be kept to those he trusted. "Today, I shall go on a hunt," would be his itinerary, and then instead, while hunting pheasant he would imagine himself agriffonback, chasing the winged terror of a dragon marauding the countryside. "Today, I shall go with my father to an important meeting," would be the plan, and in his head, one of the councillors was replaced by a luring mirrorborn with destuctive appetites (the drawing from that day was paticularly spooky and splendid). Yet still, even as he grew to adulthood, his imagination pictures stayed with him. Even today, as he rides towards the capital, he imagines himself alive with derring-do, questing for adventure, rather than doing what he is supposed to do exactly, which is go to Arx and support the North's political, economic and military goals potentially by securing an alliance somewhere in the Southlands.
  g an alliance somewhere in the Southlands.)
• Arturo Grayhope  + (Arturo's sire was a drifter, and drift he …
  Arturo's sire was a drifter, and drift he did. He was in Arx just long enough to knock up Arturo's mother, a lower-class Grayhope. His mother was a performer, singing in taverns, acting small parts in the theatres, and cooking and cleaning when she needed more to feed herself and child. Despite the reputation of her family, Arturo's mother never was one to dabble in the shady side of things. As a youth, he shared his time between roaming the streets and following in the footsteps of his mother, learning to sing, read music, and play instruments. He grew talented at it, as well, earning enough to make his way as a poor bard. He had the potential to attract a patron, and continue such a career. And then he smoked his first bowl of dust... Everything changed after that. No amount of coin could keep enough of the drug for him, and the poor income he earned from being a bard certainly couldn't. Situation forced his hand. It was at that point that Art turned to his cousins, seeping into the darker side of the Grayhope family. Addiction fueled him. Always desperate for his next fix, he became willing to do whatever was asked of him.
  e willing to do whatever was asked of him.)
• Baldessare Velenosa  + (As a boy, Baldessare's energy was often st …
  As a boy, Baldessare's energy was often stoked by the fires of competition. Reared on legends of his House and often witness to the efforts - academic and athletic - of his cousins, he always wanted to prove that he was as good as any of them, and frequently pushed himself to terrible extremes to prove himself. Especially as an adolescent, he pushed himself. He wanted to be the top of his class, the best fighter, the best racer, the best everything, but of course, the perfection that he demanded of himself was impossible, and in those days, he threw fits and tantrums often, furious that he wasn't measuring up to his own self-image. Eventually, he settled down and evened out. The perfectionism would remain with him, but it was tempered by reality, an understanding of human limitations, and the patience of tutors. The older he grew, the more he demonstrated focus, and fierceness. He learned to control his temper and to channel it, so that the outbursts grew fewer and further between. His favorite way to blow off steam was on horseback, and he would ride out in solitude for hours, communing with the animals and feeling the freedom of their gait beneath him. His father took both Benedetto and Baldessare to sea in their early teens to teach them how to behave, and assigned their squirage as cabin boys on several voyages that were designed to look more adventurous and exciting than they were. Baldessare stuck to his father's elbow like glue, wanting to learn everything there was to learn about being a sea captain and caring for his men as a protector and a commander. He also learned that grog will knock you on your ass, especially when you're fifteen. As an adult, his generally attentive and ambitious nature proved useful to the family, as would that of any aspiring, aggressive military officer with an eye for horseflesh. As his sister's social star climbed in Arx, he and Benedetto were dispatched to Arx. Baldessare has high ambitions for demonstrating his prowess in service of his House. As far as he is concerned, the capital hasn't seen anything yet.
  ned, the capital hasn't seen anything yet.)
• Benedetto Velenosa  + (As a boy, Benedetto often skated on the ve …
  As a boy, Benedetto often skated on the very edge of trouble. Refinement was far from his reach, particularly at the beginning. But with a father who was frequently at sea, he and his identical twin brother, Baldessare, were reared largely by the house staff of the Lenosia estate, children bearing witness to the development and elevation of cousins with blood closer to the main line - and wards of no particular good blood at all. Benedetto cut his teeth on legends of cunning and cleverness and lagged behind his brother's academic achievements. He got into trouble constantly for being too forthright, too open in anger or in contempt or in confidence. He masked little, and had to be trained better - "What kind of Fox even are you, boy?" was a common refrain around the schoolroom. The older he grew, the more his energy came to be channeled into performative behavior, mugging and imitating his betters in ways that would have been more insulting if he didn't have such a knack for heart-melting puppydog eyes. His father took both boys to sea in their early teens to teach them how to behave, and assigned their squirage as cabin boys on several voyages that were designed to look more adventurous and exciting than they were. Benedetto was quickly a favorite of the men for his willingness to scale rigging like a monkey and do just about any jig or dance they came up with in exchange for nothing more than a kind word. He also learned that grog will knock you on your ass, especially when you're fifteen. As an adult, his generally biddable (if lazy) and flashy entertaining nature proved useful to the family primarily in social situations. As his sister's social star climbed in Arx, he and Baldessare were dispatched to Arx. Benedetto suspects that there may be marital plans in his future, but maybe he'll prove as talented at deflecting those as he has at everything else permanent. You never know!
  everything else permanent. You never know!)
• Elyid Acheron  + (As a boy, Lord Elyid was sent to populate …
  As a boy, Lord Elyid was sent to populate House Acheron as another ward of his cousin Mydas. Following the revelation of his caretaker's princely status, it was decided that Elyid would remain at the Glacial Fortress for stability's sake rather than return to Stonedeep. Despite not being much older than him at all, Marquessa Rhea came to be Elyid's legal guardian until he came of age. It was, according to Elyid, the longest three and a quarter months of his entire life. Despite no sibling or parent bothering to share a similar claim, Elyid enjoys anecdotally touting out dramatized rumors of his familial relation to the fallen House Aviaron. While it could be argued that ANYONE with Nightgold blood could make such statements regarding Aron Nightgold's fallen line, nobody's ever bothered to contradict Elyid on his insinuated exclusivity. Oh, it's never the same! Sometimes he's a third cousin and sometimes, he's a second cousin once removed. The important thing to remember is that Rhea's got his total support. She's, uh, like a mother to him! With the construction of the Whisper Palace of Aviaron's Peak, Elyid has taken full advantage of his family's position. He's among the first crop of Northerners to receive an education in refinement, beautification, and diplomacy there. Instructed to glide on the palace's gilded ballroom floor and to entertain beneath the music conservatory's canopy of hand-painted nightingales, the courtier-in-training now travels leisurely back and forth between the picturesque Crimson Peaks and Arx, where reside many of his kin and the legendary Whisper motherhouse.
  kin and the legendary Whisper motherhouse.)
• Isolde Velenosa  + (As a child Isolde was considered shy and w …
  As a child Isolde was considered shy and withdrawn, an introverted young woman of rare smiles and haunted eyes. Her family would try to break her out of her shell by including her constantly in every minor social function, which she appreciated but remained just as reticent afterwards. Then came the Mirror's Masquerade. The Eclipse of Mirrors is the largest holiday of the Lyceum, that bloodmoon of every few years when all the houses of the Lyceum pay homage to the Thirteenth, particularly at the Mirror's Masquerade. Isolde was forced to attend by her family, just another masked young woman to enjoy the games of the feast day as a mirror-masked actor played the part of the Dark Reflection, dancing and jesting with all the guests in honor of the dark god. In a rare departure from tradition, the actor picked Isolde as the evening's 'favorite', a rare blessing by the Thirteenth that is blasphemous for an actor to give... but even more blasphemous for the audience to scoff at, and cast doubt upon the actor. The party all cheered for the dark god's favorite, the dances continued, and for that night Isolde was the pinnacle of Lyceum society. She changed after that. She was now confident, charming... and determined to preach the benefits of the Thirteenth to the rest of Arvum that allowed superstition to cloud their appreciation for his gifts. It's not uncommon for high born nobles to become disciples of a particular god, but it's very rare indeed for a younger sister of a duchess, let alone the Grand Duchess of the Lyceum, to become a disciple of the least worshipped god of the Pantheon. She knows full well that spreading understanding of the Dark Reflection is quite an uphill battle, but the shy girl is long gone. She believes in herself, her family and her faith, and will win over others.
  y and her faith, and will win over others.)
• Octavia Kennex  + (As a child, Octavia was bookish and abrupt …
  As a child, Octavia was bookish and abrupt. She learned courtesies out of necessity but not inclination, and never favored prettiness or softness or quiet. She had few friends, though those she did have she treasured closely. While her younger brother, the heir to Stormward, was educated on the mainland, Octavia reigned supreme in the household. After her mother's death, she was the lady of the house and claimed it early with the full force of her personality behind it. She spent much of her time when not actively managing the household with an iron fist learning as much as she could in the library -- first the Kennex library itself at Stormward, and then in the libraries of the other lady scholars near her rank within her own fealty. She was disinterested in marriage politics, and she had sufficient force of personality to cause her father not to press the issue, which was remarkable in itself. Then again, she was basically the accountant, quartermaster and general historian of the entire Stormward navy by that point, and -- basically -- to hell with it. When Ford Kennex inherited the title, Octavia's elevation to the judicial role in life was as much to clear her imperious tyrant fist to make room as it was in line with her own ambitions to be more than simply Lady Octavia.
  tions to be more than simply Lady Octavia.)
• Thomas Hawkmour  + (As a child, Thomas was a bright, cheerful, …
  As a child, Thomas was a bright, cheerful, and proud little lordling, the youngest son given free rein to wander and play through the halls of the family citadel and explore the crater of Brassfall March with a lifetime of opportunity ahead of him. His mother and father were very fond of him and were in the habit of indulging whatever fancy struck him...perhaps too much so, but it was difficult to hold this favor against him, and he was well-liked among the people of the March and armsmen of the House. He spent many hours simply talking with the servants and listening with obvious fascination as they explained or demonstrated their various crafts, and it was said with pride among the smallfolk that he would one day be a fine leader - if he could only learn to focus with the same passion on the lessons his tutors painstakingly tried to enforce. As he grew up, he was very close with his older brothers Erik and Duncan - he tagged along after the nearly-inseperable pair like a faithful hound pup, and Thomas admired Duncan fiercely for his devotion to the House and his position as heir. While Thomas loved his father dearly, it was no secret that he sided with his brothers without question in everything; so it was that when the Tor-Southport war broke out in all its horrible ferocity, he demanded with all a child's stubborness that they be allowed to fight for their leige lord, as this was what Duncan and Erik so desperately wanted. More was the pity. When news came home of Erik's death, something changed in the lad, a bitterness that snuffed out much of his former joy - and when both of his parents were lost to illness only a few years later, that bitterness hardened into a dark resolve. Thomas threw himself into learning the blade and soldier's craft, volunteering for every border skirmish and Abandoned raid he could and throwing himself at his foes without remorse. Though he was respected by the men and women he served beside and eventually lead, he was no longer well-loved as much as feared for whatever terrible ruthless cold had rooted in his heart. As youth faded, Thomas served as a noble general for Hawkmour's forces loyally and competently for years...and yet even he was unprepared when Duncan was assassinated. Stunned, shocked, he was nearly hollowed out and ended by his despair...but instead a thirst for vengeance flared bright in his breast, burning away almost all traces of sorrow and filling him with grim purpose. Knowing how badly his family now needed him, and that answers would be waiting there - and maybe, somehow, justice as well -- Thomas packed his things and left for Arx, to offer his service as the House Sword to the Marquessa-Regent.
  s the House Sword to the Marquessa-Regent.)
• Elonso Pravus  + (As a clever, quiet child, Elonso learned t …
  As a clever, quiet child, Elonso learned the value of patience young. A confidante is not really something that exists within the watchful walls of House Pravus, but a co-schemer and willing tool? That is what Elonso became for Belladonna at a very young age. While their father's compassion and weakness slowly eroded the legacy of House Pravus in Setarco, Belladonna was not content to sit idly by and watch her birthright sink into the sea, and neither was Elonso, as her shadow. He had innocent eyes and good ears, and he was small and slight, clever enough to fit into small places, and his coloring was inobtrusive enough to make him not above playacting and pretending to be less than the son of a duke. Elonso learned the dangers of kindheartedness. He learned the dangers of a loose tongue. He learned the hazards of ambition overweening caution. He learned all this watching the mistakes of his father's vassals as his sister schemed, arranged, and reforged power that might have been lost. As a young adult, with his sister serene in her new post, Elonso thrived under the mantle of her authority, spreading his artistic talents, focusing on his religious pursuits as a mirrormask, and learning to apply himself for the power of House Pravus in subtle, interesting ways. It might be that in another life he would have been an actor (or a bartender). But in this one, Elonso was born to be a politician.
  s one, Elonso was born to be a politician.)
• Aislin Ashford  + (As a girl, Aislin demanded tales of advent …
  As a girl, Aislin demanded tales of adventure in which the pretty princess was the heroine and the dashing prince was the plucky sidekick, and side by side the two of them would take on the world, seeing the sights and mapping the secrets of Arvum. As a woman, Aislin isn't wasting her time waiting for the dashing prince to accompany her on her adventures, and instead of having tales recounted at her bedside, she is living her dream. An explorer with impressive locales under her belt, Aislin is her own hero. She's blazed mountain trails and mapped coastlines, categorized artifacts and delivered manuscripts to the Scholars of Vellichor, though her fierce independence has thus far kept her from outright joining their order. She does spend quite a bit of time in Arx however, seeking out like-minded scholars and explorers to exchange stories and obscure bits of lore, and sometimes to team up with those self-same people for further adventuring.
  self-same people for further adventuring.)
• Caius Valardin  + (As a prince of Valardin his youth was a se …
  As a prince of Valardin his youth was a series of predetermined benchmarks. Fostered to an ally of the family at the appropriate age, squired when he'd proven himself worthy and skilled enough to not get himself killed or worse make an ass of himself and shame the knight to whom he was squired. Knighted when he came of age with other squires of the same year and skill set, Caius spent his twenties on one campaign or another, doing his share of fighting the good fight. Taprooms and taverns filled the spaces between fights, a near decade of ultimately wasted years until he'd matured enough to long for something more. He eventually matured enough to think first - then think deeper - before reaching for his sword. He'd finally steadied in his late twenties, become less of a wild eyed fighter and begun to explore the years of diplomatic training that had been long buried in his education. It was in this transition that he would find himself on the business end of a mail-clad fist in one of his last regular visits to a tavern. Unintentional as it was, he was left with a broken nose and two black-eyes as a result. Caius would face endless weeks of laughter when his comrades and fellows learned that the knight who'd smashed his nose was the Lady Brennan. For him, however, it was the catalyst for his determination to win the heart of the Lady Knight. Two years of effort and persistence followed before they were betrothed properly then wed. One thing that Caius would often preface any statement about his wife were the words, 'My Brenn, she does have a temper' often said with a contented smile and no small amount of affection. Not every marriage is built on a great romance, in fact, most marriages are built on common ground and the need to establish or cement networking and ties that bind. Caius and Brennan were a fly in the mix, genuinely fond of each other, genuinely well-suited for one another and, by all rights, happy with each other. Thus, in the usual passing of time their first child was born, and five years later, a second. Only months after their second child was born Brennan was visiting family when the worst of all nightmares came to a head, culminating at the Tragedy of Sanctum. His wife was one of many that died that day, but Caius was deeply affected by her loss. He retreated from the world, taking only the household staff that would keep everything running smoothly and focusing himself on his children and the management of the family estate and assets. Eventually, he was called upon by his family to engage once more, to take up the duties of a child of Valardin. Reluctant but duty-bound, Caius returned to the vanguard of house affairs.
  returned to the vanguard of house affairs.)
• Filusae Tyde  + (As a very young child the memory of scream …
  As a very young child the memory of screaming, jostling and the scent of just everything that can burn blazing away - Filusae still stares into the dark at night, remembering the dim gloom of days being carried away by frantic hands and a trembling voice she can only remember as Mother's. The sound of cracked lightning and feeling constantly soaked upon a small, questionable vessel through dark waters and heavy rains. Clammy hands, attempting to be comforting only creating a more horrifying experience to gaze upon a once serene face tear-stained with pale hair disheveled. Where was father? What was happening? The capacity to understand escaped her, only to be brought to light as she grew in the home of her Mother's inlaws, among House Groverfield, far from the destruction of the Sack of Tydehall and the fall of House Tyde. Murmurs through the years from her mother revealed that maybe it could have all been different if her grandfather were alive, were there. While the years passed by, Filusae was brought up fairly sheltered but well educated in things that brought her interest, taking a past-time in collecting objects that would shine or make pleasant sounds she naturally found an appreciation for coin and dealing with it. Only twice did those in the home she was raised by and with attempt to take her near the docks and ships, ending in a wildly violent exchange with some staggering away nursing scratched arms or a face. The absolute panic of being so near a ship for so little a reason as 'a fun trip' did not strike her well; Maybe just being at the docks would not have been so bad were it not for the intent to convince her to board the vile ship for such an unacceptable reason. Maybe were it to visit a pen-pal, one of two she would have been encouraged to try. Maybe. Recently a worn-looking old man has come to the door, blue eyes as so many. She shut the door in his face, a hint of unease settling over her. Only later to find the very same man in the parlor with her mother looking pale and confused... What grandfather? Who? That man would be ancient and was supposed to be long-assumed dead.
  and was supposed to be long-assumed dead.)
• Azhan Arrynfield  + (As a young child, Ahzan was tutored under …
  As a young child, Ahzan was tutored under a teacher named Merrin. In the beginning he had no real interest in learning, not only that he would regularly try to find away out of having to be taught. Eventually his teacher decided to sit him down, showing him what he can do with simple techniques such as writing and reading, allowing him to open his eyes to a new world. He started to spend more time studying and learning, leaving his previous kid ways of life for a more distinguished and set path. Evere since then, he has always upheld the uses of the scholarly pursuits, although definitely never pressing it onto others.
  definitely never pressing it onto others.)
• Perrach Seiler  + (As a youth, Perrach showed promise with we …
  As a youth, Perrach showed promise with weapons, and his father -- a man-at-arms for a noble household -- was all the ready to push him forward as soon as he was old enough to swear into service. He was the only son of a mostly daughtered house, and his family was hungry for honor. Perrach was a fresh, raw boy crewing a ship of the fleet. He was nineteen when he followed Prince Donrai Thrax to crush the Tyde Rebellion, and distinguished himself mainly by fighting with wild abandon. He earned his first scars, then, too, and at length, his knighthood, distinguishing himself by quick thinking abovedecks as much as by bloodshed. Thrax's waters are rarely without incident, and he was a restless young warrior, sailing in search of sea monsters or glory or who knew what. He grew more jaded over time, spending months at a time at sea, and finding himself far removed from the concerns of land folk when he came back. Sworn as a knight for House Thrax, he served, and fought, and bled, and killed, and he loved it. Perhaps it is his ten years long service of the family that has made it harder for Perrach to hold his tongue, but over the past year or more, he has begun to speak his mind more and more often, regardless of his rank. He was never a long-tempered man, but as threats grow surrounding his home and all the lands of the Compact, he grows restive and less tolerant of what he perceives as "nonsense".
  lerant of what he perceives as "nonsense".)
• Saccharin Maudlin  + (As chaotic as the lives of her kinfolk.)
• Mark  + (As far as anyone knows, Mark is in Arx aft …
  As far as anyone knows, Mark is in Arx after spending extensive time in the Northlands. He professes that he's a tracker and a hunter, if pushed for details. It's an explanation that suits, as he's certainly dressed like a person who has spent significant time outdoors and his manners also befit someone that is possibly less skilled with people than others.
  ibly less skilled with people than others.)
• Mark Crown  + (As far as anyone knows, Mark is in Arx aft …
  As far as anyone knows, Mark is in Arx after spending extensive time in the Northlands. He professes that he's a tracker and a hunter, if pushed for details. It's an explanation that suits, as he's certainly dressed like a person who has spent significant time outdoors and his manners also befit someone that is possibly less skilled with people than others.
  ibly less skilled with people than others.)
• Lorna Redvale  + (As is often the case among the Abandoned, …
  As is often the case among the Abandoned, life for Lorna before she bent the knee was difficult and fraught with danger. Her people preferred to remain settled in one place for as long as they were able, but they were regularly forced to relocate due to hostilities brought by other clans or conflict with the Compact. She was still young when all-out war was waged and her clan was cut down nearly to the last; only a few children survived, sheltered in part by Lorna's cleverness in finding for them a good hiding place until the fighting was over. When the dust had settled, Lorna led her small contingent of orphans to the nearest safe haven they could find to beg for shelter. That she proceeded to do so in passable Arvani rather than the native tongue of her shav'arvani clan is likely what encouraged the lords of Stonehearth to oblige her pleas. Some ten years later, Lorna is now one of the so-called 'prodigals' and serves House Stonewood as a trusted steward and translator. She has a natural ear and talented tongue, well-versed in several different shav'arvani dialects, and strives to learn more and more. Her experience in the great melting pot that is Arx, however, has only just begun...
  at is Arx, however, has only just begun...)
• Saito charon  + (As luck (or the gods) would have it, Saito …
  As luck (or the gods) would have it, Saito started his life as a comonner, born in the lands of the Charon family. The start of his life was harsh. Having been born as an orphan, Saito had no choice but to live in the streets, feeling grateful for everyday that he managed to survive. Fortunately, this didn't last long: One of the nobles, a girl close to his age took notice of his situation and, for some reazon, decided to help him. To show how grateful he was, Saito vowed that he would always serve the family, as long as he breathed. This was tacken seriously and before his servisse to the Charons could start, he was properly educated. He alsso spent more time with the girl, who's name he learned, was Clarisse. They quickly became friends. Aside from his education, Saito started to develope skills in combat. Noticing that, Teague, Clarisse's brother, gave him an order which he still follows to this day: Protect and guard Clarisse. His training was encouraged and Saito became a skilled warrior, having a preference for bows instead of swords. When Clarisse moved to the ocuntryside to deal with a personal trauma, Saito acompanied her. It was in that peaceful atmosphere that the two of them became even closer, Saito being the first person that Clarisse spoke to after her trauma. In the countryside, Saito continued to practice and to protect Clarisse. There, he found a sense of peace. His promotion to knight came as a surprise to Saito. He hadd never sought any kind of power for himself, being simply content to serve the family that had helped him when hee most needed. When Clarisse decided to return home, Saito followed, staying behind only to settle their affairs in the countryside. Now it is his hope to reunite with her again, to see what the future has in store for them and for their family.
  as in store for them and for their family.)
• Watcher Crown  + (As one might expect from the name, Watcher …
  As one might expect from the name, Watcher isn't particularly keen on sharing personal details about her past, though this manifests largely as disinterest rather than evasiveness. She's said she's originally from Farhaven on occasion, she's certainly a commoner, and if she has any family, she's just as disinterested in talking about them, though the impression she gives is that there's no one to actually talk about. She seems equally comfortable working within the city and the wilderness, though, if pressed, she clearly prefers the latter.
  f pressed, she clearly prefers the latter.)
• Watcher  + (As one might expect from the name, Watcher …
  As one might expect from the name, Watcher isn't particularly keen on sharing personal details about her past, though this manifests largely as disinterest rather than evasiveness. She's said she's originally from Farhaven on occasion, she's certainly a commoner, and if she has any family, she's just as disinterested in talking about them, though the impression she gives is that there's no one to actually talk about. She seems equally comfortable working within the city and the wilderness, though, if pressed, she clearly prefers the latter.
  f pressed, she clearly prefers the latter.)
• Brady Grayhope  + (As one of several sons of Kelda Grayhope, …
  As one of several sons of Kelda Grayhope, Brady grew up a curious, acquisitive youngster. He rarely wanted for anything, especially pies to stick his fingers into. He learned the ins and outs of the Boroughs, back alleys a specialty, and served while still very young as a salty, scrappy little shit aboard the decks of smuggling ships. He frequently stole from the rich to give to the poor, which would have been more Robin Hood and less little shit if only he'd had any need to do so instead of doing it for the adrenaline rush. Speaking of the adrenaline rush . . . Brady's brother turned traitor a few years ago, and it turned his life upside-down. While Corrigan ratted out the business interests, lit the launderers on figurative fire, and turned over their /mother/, Brady scrambled to course correct. He was broke for basically the first time in his life, and found that his skills at getting into and out of trouble were all he had to fall back on ... so of course he fell back on them as hard as he could. Luckily, the Grayhope family connections to business legitimate and otherwise are not few, and he was able to set himself up as a handyman: that is, a man handy for all kinds of jobs, just generally a good guy to have in your corner in the crunch. Especially if you need him to be quick with a dagger -- which is how he ended up moonlighting with the Valorous Few (he'll tell you for sure, he looks great in hats). Or, you know, a little bullshit artistry. He's good at that, too. On demand.
  tistry. He's good at that, too. On demand.)
• Corrigan Grayhope  + (As one of several sons of Kelda Grayhope, …
  As one of several sons of Kelda Grayhope, Corrigan wanted for little as a boy. His mother was ambitious to improve the social and financial affairs of the family and she threw herself into doing that, enhancing the Grayhopes' position in the merchant class by hook or by crook. The emphasis was on the crook; by the time Corrigan was 13, he knew way too much about the borders between the Upper Boroughs and the Lower, and by the time he was 15, he'd already been a drug runner for several smuggling operations. Kelda was firmly ensconced in selling legitimate wares and laundering money for the family business. Corrigan was involved in literally everything. When he was nineteen, he ran afoul of the Inquisition tracking down dirt on Kelda, and a particularly clever and rather surly Inquisitor offered Corrigan a choice, an out: information in exchange for an absence of the less than savory methods the Inquisition might bring to bear. His subornment was mild at first. He turned over information in dribs and drabs, never enough to tip off the family or really enough to do much for the Inquisition. But treachery is a slippery slope, and his ability to burn the candle at both ends ended pretty sharply and sourly a few years into the proposition. Unable to make more traditional charges stick on Kelda when she disavowed all connection to everything even under torture, the Inquisition ultimately took Kelda as a witch for violating Limerance's Fourth Law. Ultimately, Corrigan's internal cover was compromised and he was forced to choose which life would be his: the investigator's life, taking confessions, or the criminal's, avoiding them. It was a complicated decision that he reached, but with a family that would not take him back, Corrigan chose to crusade against his own former life instead.
  usade against his own former life instead.)
• Sasiri Whisper  + (As one of the younger members of the Ulbra …
  As one of the younger members of the Ulbran family, Sasiri was born in the Lowers orginally. As she grew she went from disillusioned by her family to outright disappointed and disgusted. While Sasiri showed great talent in design and carpentry her cousins and siblings were out commiting crime. So it wasn't a hard choice when at eighteen she decided to leave home and become a Whisper. A year passed and she studied interior design meanwhile, adding it to her collection of abilities and talents. Her family tried to 'visit' her to convince her to help them with their various projects but she always turned them away. When she was growing up all she remembered them doing was taking and destroying, she wants to create and build and those two philsophies simply cannot coexist peacefully or so she believes.
  not coexist peacefully or so she believes.)
• Rukhnis Al-Katibi  + (As suggested by her looks, Rukhnis hails o …
  As suggested by her looks, Rukhnis hails originally from the Dune Kingdoms of Eurus, and is willing to concede under sustained questioning that she was a priestess or wise woman or some vaguely similar manner of person among some clan of desert tribesmen roaming the back of beyond, whose exact name and location she declines to give. She also seems to have spent some time as a scholar in the Mourning Isles, which perhaps explains her rather good command of the Arvani language and her haphazardly patchy knowledge about the land of Arvum itself. She is disinclined to speak about her reasons for leaving either Eurus or the Mourning Isles, or to explain just how she wound up in the service of Lord Rysen Crovane as his personal retainer, but it seems to be this latter circumstance that brought her to Arx. Since her arrival in the city she has largely avoided drawing attention aside from establishing herself as a healer of some small note and a trusted servant of Crovane. Joining the Physicians guild early on, she had the chance to prove her medical abilities when a Eurusi ship collided with the city docks, depositing a few dozen liberated slaves who had become afflicted with an epidemic illness. Eventually she received the great honour of being appointed Assistant Guildmaster by the legendary healer Marquessa Reigna Keaton, and was also assigned the post of Crovane Minister of Medicine. While dividing her time between her house and guild, much of her work is directed towards improving the lives of the poor and marginalized and she can often be found working at the Commons Clinic in the Lower Boroughs.
  the Commons Clinic in the Lower Boroughs.)
• Jamie Greenmarch  + (As the eldest son of Alda and Malcolm Gree …
  As the eldest son of Alda and Malcolm Greenmarch, Jamie enjoyed the first couple years of his life being the sole focus of their attention. He was an energetic and impulsive youth with a fearless streak that often got him into a bit of trouble. As time passed and more Greenmarch children entered the world, it was difficult for his parents to spend the amount of time necessary to keep him busy. Being the oldest, Jamie very quickly established a close bond with his grandmother, Maryn Greenmarch, who enabled his free spirited nature by passing on the family's old traditions and teachines in the ways of Shamanism. The concept of spirit and being in touch with the wilderness around him was the perfect answer to his personality. It shaped him in many ways into adulthood, including the advantage of understanding two different belief systems and opened his eyes to new ways to perceive the world around him. As he grew into a young adult, he was ultimately knighted and earned a place with the Knights of Solace, though he was quite the unorthodox member. His knowledge of the land and tactics saw to it that many of his responsibilities and missions revolved around scouting, establishing forward operations, and protecting healers and the populace on the fringes of friendly territory. Though he is a Knight, more often then not the people he has directly fought alongside and for have referred to him as the Ranger for the way in which he fights, his understanding of topography and how to best use that to the advantage of his allies, as well as his tendency to remain segregated from those around him, including his brothers-and-sisters-at-arms. A couple years ago, he was sent out on an escort mission to ensure the safety and well-being of healers who were traveling to the outskirts to provide medical care and attention to the underserved populations. In time, his mission statement evolved as he began to face off against not just simple bandits and raiders, but pirates and darker things. Protecting the common folk at these areas and the healers he was initially sent out to escort has earned him somewhat of folk hero status amongst the fringe populations. They call him the Spear of the Greenwood for his first to fight attitude, always at the tip of the proverbial spear defending those that cannot defend themselves. His combat style, his experience, and the man that he is has been rooted deeply in Shamanism and it is not something he will readily give up. He walks a fine line between the Pantheon and Shamanism, though those who have fought beside him or been saved by him care little about his personal beliefs so much as his actions. Returning home after years of service, the prodigal son finds that the world he was once a part of has continued to spin despite his absence. With his return just over the horizon, Jamie signed on as an instructor with the Academy of War to not only pass on the knowledge and experience he has developed over years at the frontlines, but also to strengthen Greenmarch's ties to House Keaton and the Compact.
  ch's ties to House Keaton and the Compact.)
• Niccolo Velenosa  + (As the firstborn son of the Duke of Setarc …
  As the firstborn son of the Duke of Setarco, Niccolo was groomed from birth with the expectation that he would eventually rule the powerful Lycene city-state famed as the home of the silk trade. House Pravus possessed a reputation for producing strong, ruthlessly effective rulers and Niccolo appeared that he would be no exception- he eschewed the pampered lifestyle that would have been easily available as the firstborn of one of the highest nobles of the Lyceum, instead training relentlessly with the house soldiers or learning all he could from his family about the dangerous intrigues of Lycene politics and how to be maneuver its treacherous waters. As a young man, he repeatedly led the city-state of Setarco's military forces into battle against against the Sea Reavers, a powerful clan of the Abandoned which have been foes of the Lyceum for the past thousand years. With a calmly astute leadership style and formidable mental discipline, Niccolo won reknown for prowess as a battlefield commander and looked to be all the people of Setarco could ask for in the next duke. And then he met Princess Carlotta, the heir apparent of the Archduke of Lenosia, and future Grand Duchess of the Lyceum. Immediate attraction quickly became something undeniably deeper, and both immediately made their wishes known. Unfortunately like most nobles, however celebrated great love stories might be in the commons, neither the current Archduke of Lenosia or the Duke of Setarco benefited much from the match and immediately dismissed the idea. Carlotta's father pointed out that the ties with Setarco were already strong and attempting to strengthen the bonds with another marriage when they had other city-states to bring to heel was foolish. Niccolo's father was even more horrified- as House Pravus was ostensibly a vassal of the Grand Duke of the Lyceum but quite nearly a peer to the Velenosa ruler, Niccolo would be forced to marry into the Velenosa family and pass his claim as the next duke of Setarco on to his brother, and everyone rightly saw Niccolo as a fantastic future duke. Both rulers encouraged their respective children to forget the follies of youth and be prepared to properly marry as befits their obligation to their houses, but Niccolo was in no way dissuaded. At the next great Tournament of Roses, the festival in honor of the god of love, Niccolo managed to emerge as the champion of the tests of the body. By long tradition, each of the victors at the Tournament of Roses can request a boon from the Compact, with the Crown speaking for the realm in recognizing the worthiness of the boon. As with no few star-crossed lovers, Niccolo asked in front of most of the assembled peers of the realm and thousands of commoners for King Alaric the Elder to grant his marriage to Princess Carlotta Velenosa. The king agreed, and it is a very rare house that would refuse their liege under those conditions. The next two decades oversaw the restoration of House Velenosa prestige and power under the new Grand Duchess of the Lyceum, Carlotta Velenosa, heavily assisted by her talented husband Duke Niccolo. Niccolo was almost immediately appointed a Voice of House Velenosa, speaking with the full authority of the Duchess, and the two together ruled with all the deft agility and ruthless dispatch that any house in the Lyceum would envy. Niccolo was responsible for smashing most of clans of the Abandoned near Velenosa lands, creating far more stability around the city-state of Lenosia than it has known throughout its history. Tragically, the demands of leadership kept the married pair apart for sometimes years at a time, with Duke Niccolo remaining in Lenosia and making certain the vassal city-states of the Lyceum stayed firmly under control while Carlotta resided in Arx to manipulate the politics of Arx repeatedly in House Velenosa's favor. When Niccolo heard of his beloved wife's death in Arx, it is known that he stayed uncharacteristically out of contact with nearly everyone for a month while in mourning, seeing only his daughter Esera at her coronation as the new Archduchess of Lenosia and Grand Duchess of the Lyceum. Tragedy followed not long after with his daughter Esera's death by being pushed from Sovereign Bridge by the Dominus Fawkuhl, with the elder statesman very reluctantly assuming the position of Grand Duke of the Lyceum for a time, a position that weighed on him and his grief, though he found brief happiness with a marriage to Princess Deva Redrain. Even that brief happiness was not to last with Deva's mysterious disappearance, causing many in the Lyceum to believe the poor man was cursed. The respected Lycene nobleman abdicated the position of high lord to allow his niece, Princess Eleyna Velenosa to ascend and allow her the chance to rule, with him stepping into a more comfortable role as voice and trusted advisor.
  ortable role as voice and trusted advisor.)
• Dylan Coldrain  + (As the oldest of many siblings Dylan took …
  As the oldest of many siblings Dylan took life seriously as a child, learning to be a sailor just like his father and his father before him, and so on, but it didn't take Dylan long to realize that I was not what he wanted to do with his life. So, against the wishes of his father Dylan went off adventuring to find just where he wanted to be in life. It didn't take Dylan long to discover it. Alcohol. Brewing it, more specifically. He ran into a brewmaster in his travels across the Compact lands and from him Dylan learned how to make a variety of drinks. It proved to be quite the enjoyment for him. His training to be a sailor, at least the strength, came in handy for lifting the heavy barrels to move them to storage and what not. Dylan spent much of his adult life training in brewing so that he could be an expert at it. Once he learned all he could from his mentor Dylan travelled once more, learning different styles of brewing and learning of the land to best know what would optimize his brews. During these travels he met the woman who would eventually marry. It was just after she had been freed from Thralldom, still a child. She was timid and content to hide in a little corner sewing. Sheena. At the time she had no name but she was eventually adopted by Coldrains. It took him many months just to get into her affections. He knew very well she did not talk much, if at all, of her relationship with him. So, his convincing her to marry him took several months. It was not that she objected to him or his desire to wed her, it was her extreme shines and timidness. Eventually, though, he reached her enough to get her to agree. As in it was just days before he decided to join her in Arx. September 1009. That is when he finally wed her . He met her in the Mourning Isles to make it happen then joined her in Arx.
  to make it happen then joined her in Arx.)
• Chanse Grayhope  + (As the owner and proprietor of the Murder …
  As the owner and proprietor of the Murder of Crows Boardinghouse, Chanse Grayhope is not one would call a soft man. He's survived the better part of two decades running the establishment most favored by those needing to disappear for a while by being the kind of man that seems to have very few (living) enemies, but somehow still knows far more than he ought to about anything and everything. He always seems to be given more respect than most would expect from the dangerous sorts living in the Lower Borough, and not just due to a willingness to crack a few skulls from those that get carried away in his establishment. More than a few rough sorts that have crossed the boardinghouse owner have gone missing, and even among some of hard cases of the Lower Boroughs there is a surprising amount of fear for the businessman. For a man living among the lowest of the low of Arx, he seems relatively content exactly where he is and has made little effort to change his station in life. Some of the thugs wonder just how he gets away with it, rarely seeming surprised by anything and showing a shocking amount of lese majeste to some nobles that visit without repercussions. He never asks others their business, and has implied it's extremely wise to do the same to him.
  it's extremely wise to do the same to him.)
• Olivian Malvici  + (As the younger brother of Eirene and Roxan …
  As the younger brother of Eirene and Roxana, Olivian enjoyed a golden childhood, surrounded by a family that loved him. Eirene looked after him and Roxana made him into a pet and a favorite, and he was happy being coddled and fussed over, a pretty boy who liked pretty things. But Olivian was also a Malvici, and military service wasn't something he'd be able to put off forever. When his time came, he told himself he's put his head down and just get through it. It was only a couple of years. Then it would be over with and he'd never have to touch a sword or sweaty armor again. Then the worst possible thing happened: Olivian discovered that he was good at it. Really, REALLY good at it. Principles of combat that it took the others hours of practice to master came to him like he'd always known how to do them. His instincts for what his opponent was going to do in a spar were so good that he was able to react to things that were going to happen several seconds down the line. Not that he enjoyed any of it, mind. He didn't like being dirty. He didn't like being sweaty. He ESPECIALLY didn't like being sore, and seeing a lot of blood at once, especially coming from him, made his stomach do flip-flops. But he discovered that the easiest way to make someone who wanted to spar with him go away was to just beat them into submission as quickly as he could, and that motivated him to become an even better duelist. Still, Olivian was deeply relieved when all that mess was over and he could go back to the indolent life of a worthless rich boy, frittering his time and money away on the finer things of life. He ran across the occasional person who remembered the breathtaking natural talent he'd displayed with a blade, and sometimes those people even managed to maneuver him into a fight, but with every year that passed, more people forgot. Soon, he was pretty universally dismissed, and he liked it that way. His ideal life came to an end on a day when he, along with a bunch of friends, took what turned out to be an ill thought out country carriage ride. They were ambushed by shavs. The deeds that Olivian did that day (actions taken mostly to save his own skin) were the stuff of instant legend that only grew bigger in the telling. People talked of the way that he stood over the ladies and single-handedly fended off five... no, ten... no, FIFTY giant bloodthirsty shavs (or were they actual giants who REALLY drank blood?). He was called a hero over his own protests, and worse, he was soon delivered a summons from the Duchess herself. Southport needed a Sword and she, it would appear, had found just the man for the job. That's not the sort of thing a person says no to, so Olivian packed his things and reluctantly made his way to Arx.
  hings and reluctantly made his way to Arx.)
• Jasher Thrax  + (As the youngest born to a lesser branch of …
  As the youngest born to a lesser branch of the Thrax family tree, Jasher is far removed from the line of succession. In the aftermath of his parents' execution for treason, he and his four siblings were placed under the protection of their dictatorial grandfather, Donrai Thrax, the late Prince of Maelstrom. Living under his watchful eye meant deriving relief at being overlooked as often as he was, and ultimately contributed to the development of his sharp observational skills and appreciation for structure and certainty. He was more or less left to his own devices, free to discover for himself where he fit into the family and world at large so long as he did not shame his house in the process. One day, at the ripe age of thirteen, Jasher slipped his house guards in disguise and enlisted to become a cabin boy aboard a trade vessel. Isles lords taking to sailing is hardly unusual, but the prince was far too young, and did so without the explicit approval of his grandfather. When he was eventually located and retrieved, Donrai considered what ought to be done about it. Rather than punish Jasher for his impetuousness, he decided that if the boy would chase the salt so ardently, he should give himself to it in full, but the proper way. Thereafter, he was provided hands-on training aboard a ship so long as he agreed to keep out of trouble and tend to his studies. Each job well done was rewarded with additional opportunities, and in time he grew to be an exceptional sailor and respected leader. While many of his family members moved to Arx upon reaching adulthood, Jasher was justly putting pirates to the sword aboard his own ship, the Sea Drake. What little time he spent ashore was shared with books or family, rarely with strangers. Societal pressures and constraints inherent to nobility have always frustrated him. The prospect of marriage was approached as a grim duty he'd someday be expected to fulfill, yet while there has been no shortage of eligible women, he has never shown an interest in courting them. He rarely entertains romantic overtures in general, but it is common knowledge that he is strictly attracted to men. Over the years, strong familial ties and lasting friendships inevitably sank their deep hooks into Jasher, and those long periods spent away grew fewer and farther between.Threats of all forms bid him return to support and defend House Thrax and The Compact at large. He is a veteran of the Gyre War, Silent War, the Lodge and the Battle of Pieros Bay. He returned to Arx at a most auspicious time, on the eve of the sacking of Bastion, and the cusp of yet another series of bloody conflicts.
  of yet another series of bloody conflicts.)
• Everard Telmar  + (As the youngest brother of the Duke of Tel …
  As the youngest brother of the Duke of Telmar, Lord Everard Telmar strove to be the honorable paragon that was everything his elder brother was not. He clung hard to a knightly ideal, gaining the respect of the forces of the Telmarch as he helped lead them in battle, and quickly rose to being a well-respected knight all throughout the Oathlands. Briefly, he even held the sword of the Telmarch in his stewardship, until Arn's own son came of age to wield it as the Champion of House Telmar and the Sword of the Telmarch. Lord Everard served loyally and honorably in the wars against the Shavs for many years, before recently coming to Arx at Prince Radley Valardin's suggestion and due to his influence was appointed the Lord Commander of the Iron Guard by King Alaric Grayson IV. As Lord Commander of the Iron Guard, he has a reputation for honesty and integrity that stands in marked contrast to the sometimes corrupt reputation of the guardsmen that might abuse their rank and privileges over the lowest in Arx. While the Iron Guard is by no means perfect, Lord Everard has resolutely sought to combat their excesses and make them a force for law and order.
  s and make them a force for law and order.)
• Lucene gilden  + (As the youngest child she had far more fre …
  As the youngest child she had far more freedoms than some of her older siblings might have had. It gave her the chance to pick up and put down more things than many get to try in a lifetime, before she settled on the fact that she wanted to pick up a sword and become a warrior like her father. Long swords, those seemed to be the ones that she favored over anything else, although she's proficient enough with shorter and lighter swords as well. Her dedication to her father was so strong that she had a tough time when he passed away, finding her solace at the bottom of a bottle instead of in the arms of her family. She didn't let that get her down forever, though, and eventually crawling back out enough to become functional. Not perfect, no, a large part of her heart was gone, but she was on the hunt for a new purpose. To that end she went to Arx to find a new purpose in serving the family there.
  a new purpose in serving the family there.)
• Lucene Gilden  + (As the youngest child she had far more fre …
  As the youngest child she had far more freedoms than some of her older siblings might have had. It gave her the chance to pick up and put down more things than many get to try in a lifetime, before she settled on the fact that she wanted to pick up a sword and become a warrior like her father. Long swords, those seemed to be the ones that she favored over anything else, although she's proficient enough with shorter and lighter swords as well. Her dedication to her father was so strong that she had a tough time when he passed away, finding her solace at the bottom of a bottle instead of in the arms of her family. She didn't let that get her down forever, though, and eventually crawling back out enough to become functional. Not perfect, no, a large part of her heart was gone, but she was on the hunt for a new purpose. To that end she went to Arx to find a new purpose in serving the family there.
  a new purpose in serving the family there.)
• Olivia Ashford  + (As the youngest of Duke Barton's legitimat …
  As the youngest of Duke Barton's legitimate children, Olivia enjoys something of a privileged status, not expected to lead she's been coddled more than Ashford's usually are. One would expect such treatment to have turned her into a maniacal brat, but somehow it has not. Certainly she is mischievous, and she sneaks around more than one might expect of a young woman with such an innocent face, blending into the shadows of furniture as a child, and moving through the shifting shadows of trees as an adult. She's no warrior, stalking the trail of tribal shavs, but rather she's avoiding the animals that plague the forests of her home. She's not scared of them, they are a necessary evil if she's to find the perfect blossom for a bouquet, or that one specific plant she's promised to find for the apothecarist. But she will walk miles out of her way to avoid a family of geese, or avoid an entire part of the forest during mating season. Her love of nature stops at the greenery, for certain. Prickly thorns and poisonous saps are all part of the adventure, but cuddly rabbits are simply loathsome and more than once she's released her cousins' pets into the wild where they'll be free - and no longer underfoot. The plight of Alaric IV has drawn Olivia to Arx, his condition sounding quite unlike anything she's ever seen before - and she's seen plenty, from poisonous roots contaminating a march's water supply to stinging beetles blinding infants in a tribe of Ravashari. Surely there is a cause and a cure to be found, and Olivia means to have her name mentioned upon this discovery, and many more.
  tioned upon this discovery, and many more.)
• Kaldur Crovane  + (As the youngest of the Selikis, growing up …
  As the youngest of the Selikis, growing up he was something of a Mama's Boy, always running to his mother and grandmother whenever he was afraid. But held rapt by his mother's stories of adventure and bravery, and wanting to please his father, he struggled to face his fears, and by the time he was twelve years old, had taken his first cliff dive, a frequently enjoyed sport of the region. The act in itself was a release; he realized to confront a fear was to conquer it. When his mother died, he was devastated, grief spurring him to challenge himself, sometimes recklessly, facing the ultimate fear of mortality. He dove into his martial studies, becoming one of his father's knights, fighting in battles ashore and at sea, eventually setting his sights on a project of vision and extraordinary scope, in good faith and aware of the risks, but unafraid: The Great Road. The Great Road has brought the best and worst out of the people of Arvum, arvani and shav'arvani alike, Kaldur included. He was terribly disheartened by the strife the Road stirred and ignited, buoyed then by family and friends to remember why he began the work in the first place. He joined the Knights of Solace to walk and protect the Compact's roads. With friends and allies, he led a pilgrimage to walk the entire length of the Great Road, something he thought he would not be possible in his lifetime. Upon return, one of the original inspirations for the Great Road - overland transit to far flung Stormwall in the wake of its destruction in war - became a bond by vows of marriage, Kaldur joining House Crovane as Duke-consort to Duchess Fianna Crovane. The marriage put to rest the remnants of strained relations between Stormwall and Old Oak.
  d relations between Stormwall and Old Oak.)
• Kaldur Seliki  + (As the youngest of the Selikis, growing up …
  As the youngest of the Selikis, growing up he was something of a Mama's Boy, always running to his mother and grandmother whenever he was afraid. But held rapt by his mother's stories of adventure and bravery, and wanting to please his father, he struggled to face his fears, and by the time he was twelve years old, had taken his first cliff dive, a frequently enjoyed sport of the region. The act in itself was a release; he realized to confront a fear was to conquer it, and so he took to learning the martial disciplines with gusto, and started to find the anticipation of danger to be somewhat thrilling. When his mother died, he was devastated, and it pushed him further into the notion of challenging his fear, of which his true remaining one is ultimately death. Now, he serves competently as one of his father's knights, but still takes the time to challenge himself with new experiences and enjoying that thrill that certain types of danger can bring.
  ll that certain types of danger can bring.)
• Baelos Redrain  + (As the youngest of three sons of a non-rul …
  As the youngest of three sons of a non-ruling branch of the Redrain, Baelos had a childhood unburdened by duties or significant expectations. Instead, his devout focus on swordplay, soldiering, adventure, brawling, taverns, and trouble made him something of a minor celebrity among Farhaven's soldiering classes, if not a favorite of his father. Blood on his blade, ale on his lips, and a pretty girl by his side - from all appearances, Baelos was more than satisfied with this life. This all changed after both of his brothers left Farhaven, and both found themselves dead. Now, with his father Vigsi grief-stricken and near death, Baelos for the first time is laden with duty - duty to represent his family in Arx, to serve the Prince of Farhaven at court, and to make his mark in the South.
  court, and to make his mark in the South.)
• Aeryn Laurent  + (As the youngest sister of Cristoph, Jael, …
  As the youngest sister of Cristoph, Jael, and Cassandra she was free of much responsibility and was free focus on whatever it was at the moment that captured her fascination. For a while she thought she might be a singer or something like a bard. The next, a lawyer. The next focus was animal husbandry and then maybe even medicine. While she shied away form the martial aspects of life, she excelled at whatever she put her mind to. More recently, her father has died and Cristoph has taken the reigns over Artshall and while her heart broke for her father she couldn't be prouder of her older siblings. Now, having come of age she's been loosed upon Arx to find her path and her footing.
  upon Arx to find her path and her footing.)
• Asha Espina  + (Asha grew up as the daughter to a favored …
  Asha grew up as the daughter to a favored Champion in Lenosia, but never the less a commoner. Through the relative fame of her mother, she grew up comfortable and although at first her mother intended for her to learn another craft, when she got into her teenage years there was no question Asha sought to follow in the footsteps of her mother. The scars she wears today are a mark of her early days in the guild back home, but with time she too earned herself a reputation. Taking up the way of the spear, the serpent's dance as she calls it she lingered in Lenosia for sometime, but it proved difficult to manage in the shadow of her mother, the famed Sara the Serpent. She has travelled across all of Arvum since then, mainly seeking cities as that is where a Champion will find work. And eventually Arx, for where are there more nobles in petty disputes than in the capital?
  les in petty disputes than in the capital?)
• Ashlyn Velenosa  + (Ashlyn Velenosa was born Princess to the f …
  Ashlyn Velenosa was born Princess to the family of the Lyceum. A bit of a hot-tempered child she was sent off to boarding schools and recently a propierty school. She grew up amongst the nobles, used to getting what she wanted but through schooling learned that making a fuss was not the way to get those things. If anything the schools taught her how to be proper and how to walk amongst the peers as an adult. She's just recently returned to be set out into the world as a Princess ready to be beholden to the proper man.
  ss ready to be beholden to the proper man.)
• Ashlyn Velenosa/Reflection  + (Ashlyn was born to Camilla Velenosa and ra …
  Ashlyn was born to Camilla Velenosa and raised by servants and maids, never truly knowing her father and his lack or presence. Naturally she was spoiled as a child with a bit of a temper, thinking she could get whatever she wanted. She was sent off to boarding schools to learn that this behavior was not okay. Her brother Jarek is a wandering priest who well left the city and many heartbroken in his wake. Ashlyn has just recently returned from a propriety school educated and well mannered to maneuver her way through society. Like a ghost forgotten she seeks new connections and to learn more about the others and the city.
  learn more about the others and the city.)
• Asriel Darkwater  + (Asriel Darkwater has ever been a notorious …
  Asriel Darkwater has ever been a notoriously private person. Still, not every facet of his long life has been masked by the sort of mystery he so often cultivates around himself. What is it they say in the law courts of Arx? Just the facts, please. Asriel was known to be a precocious child, nobody would argue that. A noble's education and a hunger for knowledge would find him growing into a young lord of House Darkwater with a brilliant mind and a bright - if sometimes questionable - personality full of idiosyncracies. Yet no amount of radiance would help him to escape from beneath the long shadow cast by his brother Draevor, a man who better espoused the qualities a Darkwater was thought to need at the time. It could be fair to think that because of this, a younger Asriel Darkwater might have already harbored a healthy resentment for his more brutal brother even before whatever passed between them that would cause an informal falling out. In the years leading up to Draevor's death, a distance grew between Asriel and his family at Darkwater Watch. Where once he had put his keen mind to use handling finances and other important details for his House, more and more he failed to come home altogether. Every stretch of absence was longer than the last, until one day he disappeared entirely. Before he seemingly fell off the face of Arvum, Asriel had been pursuing the life of an antiquarian. Though the return of the Darkwater lord wasn't inevitable, it wasn't an accident either. It was by the hand and efforts of the newly-elevated Countess Carita that the letter which would finally convince Asriel to come home would reach him. While he isn't always quite the outgoing socialite he once was, his philanthropic nature and driven curiosity has remained intact through whatever ravages time has brought down upon him. Many of the Peerage expected that perhaps Draevor's brother might pose a challenge to the latest Countess to grace the head of House Darkwater's table, being the neo noble that she is, but to their surprise his return has found him steadfastly vocal about his support for her.
  eadfastly vocal about his support for her.)
• Asterion Havmarke  + (Asterion Havmarke is the firstborn and las …
  Asterion Havmarke is the firstborn and last living child of Dallon and Odelia Havmarke, and the only remaining scion of the Havmarke line proper. Two younger brothers and a sister were born after, though both younger boys faced health complications that led to early deaths. Like his father before him, he was a farmer by birth and by profession, and was resigned to such a life long before he ever reached adulthood. An avid reader, he consumed every bit of ink and parchment he was able to get his hands on, primarily via discarded missives and historical texts. It was this sharpening of his mind that led to a surprisingly competent military career. It served as an escape from the monotony of agriculture and a method to elevate his own station, eventually resulting in a commission to officer. It was at this time that he took a wife, Vorina, and soon after inherited his family's lands after illness claimed the lives of his parents. She too would be taken by ailing health, accelerated by a complicated pregnancy that left Asterion widowed and without any progeny. Rather than fall into any despair, he threw his life into duty - cultivating his lands, serving his commission, and reigniting a passion for literature, now with the agency to acquire proper books to expand his library. Eventually, his military service was ended by injury and subsequent illness that threatened to claim him just as it did the whole of his family. It was this distinguished military service, though, that led House Byrne to invite Asterion to serve as a steward and agent of Cedar Vale following his recovery, a role that he has acted in with ruthless efficiency. The duty would carry him to Arx to serve the Vale from afar, and so it was that he escaped the destruction of Cedar Vale at the hands of the Abandoned. He returned when the County was given to Lord Gailin Stonewood, seamlessly transition from service of House Byrne to service of the newly created House Fireviper. So it is that he has carried on in stewardship of House Byrne, then Fireviper, and now Byrne again. He has remained through it all in a number of capacities, the only consistency a loyal and steadfast service to Cedar Vale and to the House that holds it.
  Cedar Vale and to the House that holds it.)
• Astor Larrant  + (Astor grew up in a family of simple farmer …
  Astor grew up in a family of simple farmers and ranchers on House Grayson's lands. Harboring greater ambitions than a typical farmer's son, Astor decided the best thing to do was to give up his claim on the family business and start one of his own. He apprenticed under a traveling merchant who dabbled in alchemy until he was old enough and knowledgeable enough to set off on his own. He made his way around for a few years, and after a string of run-ins with bandits and scammers, he decided it was best to find a place to settle down. Now that he's in Arx proper, he's not quite sure what to do, at least not yet. He does at least believe that he's wise enough to figure it out, though.
  he's wise enough to figure it out, though.)
• Astraea Redrain  + (Astraea was born mere minutes before her t …
  Astraea was born mere minutes before her twin sister but the two might often go back and forth on who was actually the first brought into this world. Though she may be identical in looks to her sister they are quite different in some ways. Astraea is the more thrill-seeking, physical type who enjoyed tussling with the boys and getting dirty. Unafraid of a little danger, she always managed to find herself getting into trouble. Her mother was afraid of losing her daughter to the wiles of her whimsy and did her best to reign her in. There was no way in hell that Astraea would ever enjoy embroidery or needlepoint. Knowing her daughter well, the Igniseri noblewoman managed to procure the services of a well known sellsword from a foreign land. Due to her natural inclination toward athleticism she was an excellent student and picked up swordplay quickly. This only bolstered her eagerness to partake in dangerous ventures for that rush of adrenaline. Storm-chasing, rock-climbing, extreme sports, diving, exploring, and just about anything that risks life and limb was on her checklist. Astraea managed to undertake many exciting adventures but her career as a daredevil came to an end when she got married. It was politically motivated and she had never met her intended before they were engaged. As she got to know him it seemed alright and the Igniseri girl felt like perhaps she might even grow to love him. It was with a heavy heart that she left her family and home in the Southern isles to go and live in the icy north. Life can be good, but it isn't always happy endings and for Astraea this was quite the case. Her husband died three years into their marital bliss, his body was found terribly mangled and the cause of death was never discovered. In the weeks following the investigation into the Redrain Prince's death the grisly details were kept from his widow. After the news was delivered to her, Astraea sunk into depression and mourning, thus shattering the hopes and dreams of the southern-but-northern princess who had expected to live a long life with her Prince Charming. Many long months have gone by since then and once again Astraea has fallen prey to her wanderlust and taste for a good fight. Ever a devotee of Gloria, this princess is highly devout and her love of the Gods is second to none. It's no secret that she walks with the Sentinel and has a special place in her heart for the Queen of Endings but she carries a flame of passion in her heart and soul for each member of the Pantheon; finding their combined philosophies and teachings the most beneficial to the soul. Strangely enough she is not actually a member of any single discipleship but the Redrain princess frequents the shrine and the Cathedral. When she isn't pursuing a life of piety, Astraea pursues her interests quietly and tends to avoid the politicking of Arx. Her sister, Aurelia, and her spend a great deal of time together and tend to be synchronous with their moods. This doesn't always mean the pair of them are in agreement but even in their discordance they manage to echo one another's thoughts and feelings as if they share a soul or at the very least a mind. There are no limits on her love for family and the people, all people. Some might see this as naivete or weakness but Astraea has always seen the best in humanity and has an amazing capacity for love. She enjoys meeting people with warmth and open arms, and though she may not always see eye to eye with someone she does her best to keep an open mind. How she arrived in the city is a bit of a mystery, but the why is something she hasn't been quite forthcoming about either but she has set about throwing all of her efforts into maintaining the peace and bringing down the Compact's foes.
  eace and bringing down the Compact's foes.)
• Astraea Valardin  + (Astraea was born mere minutes before her t …
  Astraea was born mere minutes before her twin sister but the two might often go back and forth on who was actually the first brought into this world. Though she may be identical in looks to her sister they are quite different in some ways. Astraea is the more thrill-seeking, physical type who enjoyed tussling with the boys and getting dirty. Unafraid of a little danger, she always managed to find herself getting into trouble. Her mother was afraid of losing her daughter to the wiles of her whimsy and did her best to reign her in. There was no way in hell that Astraea would ever enjoy embroidery or needlepoint. Knowing her daughter well, the Igniseri noblewoman managed to procure the services of a well known sellsword from a foreign land. Due to her natural inclination toward athleticism she was an excellent student and picked up swordplay quickly. This only bolstered her eagerness to partake in dangerous ventures for that rush of adrenaline. Storm-chasing, rock-climbing, extreme sports, diving, exploring, and just about anything that risks life and limb was on her checklist. Astraea managed to undertake many exciting adventures but her career as a daredevil came to an end when she got married. It was politically motivated and she had never met her intended before they were engaged. As she got to know him it seemed alright and the Igniseri girl felt like perhaps she might even grow to love him. It was with a heavy heart that she left her family and home in the Southern isles to go and live in the icy north. Life can be good, but it isn't always happy endings and for Astraea this was quite the case. Her husband died three years into their marital bliss, his body was found terribly mangled and the cause of death was never discovered. In the weeks following the investigation into the Redrain Prince's death the grisly details were kept from his widow. After the news was delivered to her, Astraea sunk into depression and mourning, thus shattering the hopes and dreams of the southern-but-northern princess who had expected to live a long life with her Prince Charming. Many long months have gone by since then and once again Astraea has fallen prey to her wanderlust and taste for a good fight. Ever a devotee of Gloria, this princess is highly devout and her love of the Gods is second to none. It's no secret that she walks with the Sentinel and has a special place in her heart for the Queen of Endings but she carries a flame of passion in her heart and soul for each member of the Pantheon; finding their combined philosophies and teachings the most beneficial to the soul. Strangely enough she is not actually a member of any single discipleship but the Redrain princess frequents the shrine and the Cathedral. When she isn't pursuing a life of piety, Astraea pursues her interests quietly and tends to avoid the politicking of Arx. Her sister, Aurelia, and her spend a great deal of time together and tend to be synchronous with their moods. This doesn't always mean the pair of them are in agreement but even in their discordance they manage to echo one another's thoughts and feelings as if they share a soul or at the very least a mind. There are no limits on her love for family and the people, all people. Some might see this as naivete or weakness but Astraea has always seen the best in humanity and has an amazing capacity for love. She enjoys meeting people with warmth and open arms, and though she may not always see eye to eye with someone she does her best to keep an open mind. How she arrived in the city is a bit of a mystery, but the why is something she hasn't been quite forthcoming about either but she has set about throwing all of her efforts into maintaining the peace and bringing down the Compact's foes.
  eace and bringing down the Compact's foes.)
• Aswin Ulbran  + (Aswin doesn't really know if he was born a …
  Aswin doesn't really know if he was born an Ulbran, or if he simply fell in with the family around the time that he took his first steps. He has no memories of his mother or his father, they simply were never there. The streets of the Lower Boroughs are a tough place for a child to grow up, especially by themselves, and while his parents were not there the Ulbrans were. Survival became not only possible, but he learned at the instruction of his family how to thrive in the dangerous streets. As soon as he was able, he was put to work as a lookout and pickpocket, the innocence of his youthful appearance presenting an opportunity that was not to be wasted. And then by the time that he entered into his teens he was being trained to fight and sent along on more dangerous work, a life that Aswin took to quite well. Now in his twenties, he fills whatever role the family needs of him.
  lls whatever role the family needs of him.)
• Wrakjon Lacerhaft  + (At an early age Wrakjon Lacerhaft fell in …
  At an early age Wrakjon Lacerhaft fell in with a bad crowd with such velocity that he left a crater, and he has been digging into it ever since. He is most notorious in gambling circles, where he owes so many debts that he mostly keeps his fingers by dint of too many people arguing with each other over who gets to cut them off. He is also kept alive by being a surprisingly reliable source of salves and a decent sawbones, skills he's picked up in a curious sort of natural selection where he managed to undergo all the experimentation that was dangerous enough to learn from but not dangerous enough to kill him. Anyone he's stitched up reports never feeling any pain after he gave them a bracing drink, although it took several days for the walls to stop crawling with pixies.
  or the walls to stop crawling with pixies.)
• Gogil redreef  + (At the young age of six, Gogil had gotten …
  At the young age of six, Gogil had gotten lost in the forest outside his family's home. Near the same time a group of marauders tried to storm the modest estate by walking right up the front gate. They were slaughtered and Gogil returned home with a fantastical tale of a group of traveling singers wanting to perform for their family. When he was nine it is told that he was to go spend time at Darkwater Watch, but a mighty tempest sent his ship he was traveling on off course and badly needing repair that they ended up in New Hope, house Blackshore's lands. His charges were not too pleased to find that the young lordling had disappeared into the city only to be found several months later staring at wonder at a burnt down warehouse that apparently revealed a trove of stolen goods being ferried through the town. At the age of twelve another attempt to see Darkwater Watch and visit his cousins was attempted. The tale from the survivors says they could see the city as they sailed past being harried by pirates. They were cut off from the port and being dark at night they had to sail southwardly. Long month's past as Gogil's ship stood just out of reach of the raiders before a stroke of luke saw they hidden in a lagoon. The sailors and even Gogil don't talk much about those they met on the island, but there is a song about a boy and his golden eyed duck that those sailors still sing from time to time. At fifteen Gogil was thrust into the world of academia. Not overly inclined to military pursuits and only showing passing skills as a sailor he was given the task to learn numbers and history. A task that he seemed to flourish with. Especially with numbers and the seeing of patterns and stories he says lie with them. On his eighteenth birthday he was sent for by Urime, a master accountant in Maelstrom. Apparently word had reached him of Gogil's prowess with numbers and wanted to take on an underling. About a year later he was on his way home, more knowledgeable on numbers, but confused by the sudden disappearance of Urime. He was even more confused when a Princess kissed his cheek before he boarded his ship home. At twenty one he was asked to look at the books for the family that was in Arx and immediately asked to go to the city. Eagerly wanting to help fix whatever problem he had seen in them. He didn't make it. He doesn't talk about this, and the ship he was delivered on was not the one that he left on. Not until he was twenty four, he finally reached the shores of Arx. A little shocked that his cousin Ember was now Baroness, but still eager to help the family in the city in any way he can.
  the family in the city in any way he can.)
• Atherton Galeren  + (Atherton's origins are mostly unknown beyo …
  Atherton's origins are mostly unknown beyond the past few years. A few whisperings of offering his services to the Abandoned linger. In the more recent past he's been seen doing mundane work such as escorting merchants about, intimidating young bandits off farmers' property, and the like.
  ndits off farmers' property, and the like.)
• Atria Ulixes  + (Atria is the second of three children, the …
  Atria is the second of three children, the middle child that's always so troublesome. Her eldest brother was trained to be lord of the manor and now rules House Ulixes. Her youngest sister was married off at an early age to secure trade agreements to grow the house's trade port which it so desperately depends on for life. And Atria? Well, her early years were a mix of being taught to be 'the spare' to having her time left to her own devices. She would spend many of those free hours playing the drums, for which she would find her lessons banished to the far side of the manor for the first year. She would spend other hours going to the Senate with her father and brother, listening to what she felt was worse caterwauling than anything she was mangling with her drums. The years would pass and Atria's ability to keep a beat, to lead a song or the cadence of war band would grow. And her interest in the Senate would sharpen as she realized these sometimes vitriolic proceedings held sway over countless lives. Not only that, she understood why her father took her and her brother, and not just the heir. The work their house would do could never be handled by just the Head of House; her brother would need her help. At the young age of 22, Atria lost her father. He went to Eurus, and he's never been seen or heard from again. His ship did not return and it's believed he was lost to attack. Since that time, Atria's served as the right hand to House Ulixes. Which made it not at all odd when the family contingent that arrived in Arvum included its calm right hand.
  ved in Arvum included its calm right hand.)
• Atrid Darkwater  + (Atrid is of House Darkwater The son of A D …
  Atrid is of House Darkwater The son of A Darkwater nobleman and a Grimhall noble woman. When his mother married his father they went back to his fathers keep south of Darkwater along the deeps. It was on an Island in the middle of the deeps. The keep itself was a lighthouse the Island was called La Isla De Muerte Negro. When Atrids mother left the she brought her body guard to help keep her safe when her husband had to be away. Over the years with his mother and fathers influence and teaching he became a good and charismatic if not strict leader, learning from his mother and her body guard the arts of warfare and the brutality often times needed "the ends justify the means" right? And from his father he learned more of the sleight of hand and trickery, also inheriting the more liberal way of looking at those below his station. Through his teen years he decided to start following in his fathers footsteps hed turn out the lighthouse light allowing a cargo ship here or there to wreck on his island and pillaging the goods and money from it. Now hes left to seek out his fortune and carve his place in the world to leave his own legacy.
  lace in the world to leave his own legacy.)
• Rinaldo Gallo  + (Attending the Apothecary College of Tor, R …
  Attending the Apothecary College of Tor, Raphael Gallo would meet a trader from the north name Lianna, and eventually the two would claim each other as husband and wife. Raphael became a moderate success as a perfumer, while Lianna would sail further and further afield from home to find equal success in her own endeavors. And somewhere, along the way, Rinaldo would be born to the rocking of the sea beneath him. Rinaldo would be a sickly child, never growing to the stronger build of his family, and spend much of his childhood under the treatment of healers and his father's herbalism to get rid of coughs, fevers, and so on. At eighteen, Rinaldo would return to Tor and attend the college to become an apothecary himself. He took to perfumes and dyes more than medicines, and after graduation from that academy has come to Arx and joined the Whisper House. Enamored of their beauty and grace, Rinaldo has taken his place as somoene that can enhance his fellow Whispers more than he spends time courting his own customers. He provides perfumes, soaps, hair dyes; he offers services with accounting, bookkeeping, and helping run the administration of the house. While he may be pretty enough to catch some patrons of his own, Rinaldo much prefers the role he's in. After all, it allows him to hide the illnesses that continue to plague his adult life.
  es that continue to plague his adult life.)
• Audric Crown  + (Audric changes his background story with e …
  Audric changes his background story with every telling, lying for sympathy or just because he finds it wildly entertaining. In the (very) rare cases when he is forced to be honest, such as talking to the high and mighty of society who could have the rogue hanged under the entirely correct assumption he must be guilty of something or other, Audric would be forced to admit that he grew up in the rough Lower Boroughs of Arx untroubled by burdens holding him back such as parents, a family, or basic human necessities. Audric contends that while being a waifish urchin was a promising career track, he quickly discovered the far more lucrative field of talking oneself in and, more importantly, out of trouble. Noticably vague about how he first learned swordplay and made the acquaintance of other sellswords, the scoundrel quickly learned that a captain of a sellsword company is not so much the best swordsman as a leader of other soldiers. Or, in Audric's far superior case, someone who can present a reasonably facsimile of a leader while cashing in big on the work that mercenary groups are hired to do while trying to avoid the work of actual bothersome fighting. Also extraordinarily vague on the real details for how he came to be the head of the Valorous Few sellsword company, which is neither few in number nor anything resembling valorous, he has a remarkable talent for being hired while never actually fighting. It's not easy to be an honorable man, which is why Audric is devoutly glad he is instead profoundly not that.
  ly glad he is instead profoundly not that.)
• Audric de Lire  + (Audric changes his background story with e …
  Audric changes his background story with every telling, lying for sympathy or just because he finds it wildly entertaining. In the (very) rare cases when he is forced to be honest, such as talking to the high and mighty of society who could have the rogue hanged under the entirely correct assumption he must be guilty of something or other, Audric would be forced to admit that he grew up in the rough Lower Boroughs of Arx untroubled by burdens holding him back such as parents, a family, or basic human necessities. Audric contends that while being a waifish urchin was a promising career track, he quickly discovered the far more lucrative field of talking oneself in and, more importantly, out of trouble. Noticably vague about how he first learned swordplay and made the acquaintance of other sellswords, the scoundrel quickly learned that a captain of a sellsword company is not so much the best swordsman as a leader of other soldiers. Or, in Audric's far superior case, someone who can present a reasonably facsimile of a leader while cashing in big on the work that mercenary groups are hired to do while trying to avoid the work of actual bothersome fighting. Also extraordinarily vague on the real details for how he came to be the head of the Valorous Few sellsword company, which is neither few in number nor anything resembling valorous, he has a remarkable talent for being hired while never actually fighting. It's not easy to be an honorable man, which is why Audric is devoutly glad he is instead profoundly not that.
  ly glad he is instead profoundly not that.)
• Aurelia Pravus  + (Aurelia was birth was the first blight upo …
  Aurelia was birth was the first blight upon her mother's honor, but it would not be the last. Her mother was sister to the Duke of Pravus, a cutthroat woman who relished power and adored those who would wield it sharply. Although arranged in a political marriage with those Houses who would later rebel against the Duke of Pravus, she fancied a pirate lord as her bedmate, a thinly-tolerated practice given his open defiance of maritime law. When she became pregnant, she asserted often and loudly that it belonged to the pirate lord and not her husband. From a young age Aurelia took after the Duke of Pravus, who was determined to reform Pravus's image. She studied the songs of Valardin bards, and the great legends of their Dragon Knights protecting the innocent. The Duke showered her with the tender love and fatherly affection that her pirate lord of a father did not, and shaped her romantic's heart from a young age. Just before the conspirators raised their rebellion against Pravus, she was sped away to live with her father. Soon her mother joined them with news that the Duke had been assassinated, but his heir Belladonna, new Duchess of Pravus, had put down the rebellion. She wept for days until news trickled in that her trueborn siblings had been slain. Although she had never been as close to them as her uncle, the grief was too much to bear and she threw herself into the sea. Hours later she was discovered huddled on a beach, covered in black seaweed. She said that she had been saved by beautiful beasts from the sea. After that day, some thought she was touched in the head and strange, though no examination showed any lasting harm. She lived among the traders, smugglers, exiles, and cutthroats of the island for a time, and reportedly gossipped and performed often. A sudden sickness that swept the pirate cove put her father's life in peril, and with it, the guarantee of her safety. Although her mother refused to leave her beloved's side, Aurelia had no such warmth for the man who had not been the father of her heart. She paid a smuggler to take her to Arx, where she penned a letter to Belladonna Pravus, requesting clemency and an audience.
  avus, requesting clemency and an audience.)
• Aurus Wyrmguard  + (Aurus was ever happy to do what was expect …
  Aurus was ever happy to do what was expected of him. He was, truth be told, everything that Stuart Wyrmguard could want in a son: skilled with a blade, purposeful in his quest to excel, stately, and a bright shining star of the family after Caras's fall. He had never spared a second thought to being a younger son, confident in his own abilities and goals. He was also much unlike his cousin Damon, who tended to want to stick his nose into books and histories, rather than into the thick of things and make it himself, and in this, too, he strove to take up the mantle of everything his uncle had wanted. And though he and Damon were unlike in many ways, he still felt a great affinity towards him. Strangely, in the wake of the tragedy of Sanctum and secondarily Damon's untimely death, Aurus seemed to be one of the least affected. Some think that's because his smile is too bright to falter, or, as some have disapprovingly thought, that the young knight is just not as serious as he should be. With the turn of threats to the Compact to the east, the young crusader has come to Arx proper to support his sisters and cousins, and join the ranks of the beleaguered defenders of the Crown.
  of the beleaguered defenders of the Crown.)
• Austen Ferron  + (Austen Ferron is the baby of the family, t …
  Austen Ferron is the baby of the family, though he may look far from it. He and his family resided in a small hamlet within the Oathlands and he spent most of his youth doing farmwork and growing strong through manual labor. The older youths of the village would often pick on him, until one day he shot up and wasn't quite so scrawny any more. Then he beat them up. Austen did not particulary want to become a farmer, nor did he wish to become a smith like his eldest sister Ida, so when the opportunity arose he joined the military as a soldier. It did not take quite as well as he thought it would: after running afoul of a vengeful noble he was discharged, but at that point he was just about done with that foray anyway. He returned home, still a teenager longing to be something more in the world. One day, a perfect opportunity arose: on his trek to the nearby city he came across the beleaguered caravan of a knight, and after helping fix the wheel the knight offered him a position as his squire. He happily accepted, and for the next two years accompanied the knight errant on his travels, learning what he could. Early into his eighteenth year he was knighted to little fanfare, but knighthood fit much better on Austen than farmerhood. He arrived in Arx and joined the Iron Guard at the recommendation of a friend of a friend. The intricacies of city law still puzzle him, but he is slowly getting the gist of it.
  , but he is slowly getting the gist of it.)
• Austin Goddard  + (Austin is not terribly well-known outside …
  Austin is not terribly well-known outside of his personal circle; he grew up the son of dirt-farmers, scrabbling to provide for their family. His brothers became petty thugs; his sisters became either disreputable, or married off quickly to any man who could piss in a pot. Austin, however, had no intention of living in squalor. Growing up, he viewed his peers as petty, reckless fools, and had little love for them, regarding them as more children than proper adults. Thankfully for him, he also found that they rallied around any figure who could make an empty promise--also like children. He took his time sowing his wild oats in the lower boroughs of Arx. Those who know him know of his past of petty thievery--and the occasional transfer of currency from the pockets of others into his own. He was known to associate with criminals of various levels of repute. Often, he recruited other young folk to help carry out his dirty deeds, most desperate to make something of themselves despite their dismal life prospects. But thankfully, by some miracle, he straightened himself out by his young adulthood to enter legitimate social circles. He clawed his way into the middle class by gathering a small company of sell-swords and hirelings, known as the Letters of Marque, which he still operates out of the lower boroughs to this day.
  tes out of the lower boroughs to this day.)
• Avaline Velenosa  + (Avaline often heard stories about the wint …
  Avaline often heard stories about the winter storm that blew the day that she was born, one chilly February night. Never one to wait for long, she arrived early, while her mother was still on business in Farhaven. Snowed in from the storm, she came into the world defiantly screaming out her protests, fists clenched in her tiny fury with hair as white as the snow that cascaded outside. So that was how she came to spend her first months in Arvum in Oathlands, until finally she was old enough to travel back home. Time back in Granato was typical of a southerner of her station. From a very young age she took a great interest in strategy games, and began looking in earnest into the history of wars and great strategists. Many war games were set up with her siblings, games of strategy and tactics. Eventually she began to see herself as the general of all of her sisters and brother, and it turned into a very real interest in becoming one in earnest. Of course becoming a general isn't something that is just handed to young women, so as she grew older she knew she would have to be a soldier. She trained with her blades as surely as she honed her craft as a strategist, and over time she really did find that she had a knack for it. She squired from a young age, until finally when she came of age swore her oaths as a knight. It was her calling, and her life's passion. She quickly made a name for herself in small skirmishes as a talented fighter, adaptable and ferocious. She eventually gained true renown as a commander when she picked up the banner of a fallen commander, while surrounded by enemies. Outnumbered and outmatched by a much larger force of shavs than they had been expecting, Ava pulled the remaining soldiers back, only to press forward once more when she'd found more favorable conditions. Her victory was well regarded and earned her the attention of a young Velenosian prince. It was a whirlwind romance, and perhaps due to her own renown in the previous battle she was allowed to marry into the family where she continued her service as a Lycene Knight-Princess, serving to drive back the silence in her own campaigns, enjoying the brief respite to birth two children of her own, and with the new threats looming from Darkwater, Avaline finds herself travelling to Arx with her children to reuinte with her siblings, and assist the increasingly disparate situation bearing down upon them.
  isparate situation bearing down upon them.)
• Avasyn Culler  + (Avasyn has never been the luckiest of sort …
  Avasyn has never been the luckiest of sorts. Raised in a very poor family devoted to the House of Valardin, she's lucky enough to even know how to read and write. Her father a drunk and her mother a lowly maid, Avasyn grew up as the youngest amongst her family, with three other siblings. She was the last, an unfortunate mistake on their part, and they looked down on the girl with an unhealthy amount of resentment. After all, she was another mouth to feed. But their dislike of her went far beyond regret, and bordered on near mad superstition. They weren't the brightest of people, and living with one foot in the gutter, the other in the grave, was enough to drive most of them mad. It was no surprise, but somewhat strange, when a thirteen year old Avasyn retreated to the heart of Arvum to forge out her own life without her family, alone, penniless and scared.Swearing fealty to the Crown, she was taught by an old healer and mixer of posions, learning everything she knew before she passed away. And she found sanctuary with the Cullers, who opened their arms for her, and became more a family to her than our blood family ever were. But still, the events that drove her away still haunts her, along with the ache of being loathed so by those she'd spent her childhood years with. It leaves a deep, bleeding ache there, and the guilt can sometimes be seen in her eyes before they turn cold and secretive.
  eyes before they turn cold and secretive.)
• Aviana Bertram  + (Aviana growing up was a happy child, her p …
  Aviana growing up was a happy child, her parents worked hard to give her what they could. Growing up she listened to her mothers teachings on how to sew and as she got older she was able to use that to sell at the local market to help her parents. Growing up a only child was good in ways but bad in others, it meant a lot on pressure of Aviana but she seem to handle it. Her mother would tell she had a calm soul a lot because in times of stress Aviana would be able to stay calm. One of the things she enjoyed very much was watching the nobles and knights sparring and jousting, but her mother use to tell her all the time to get her head out of the clouds that she was the daughter of a farmer and a tailor and she two was just like them a commoner it was a harsh lesson but Aviana down deep understood.
  sh lesson but Aviana down deep understood.)
• Avovorinth Seraceni  + (Avovorinth was born to a Pirate Lord by th …
  Avovorinth was born to a Pirate Lord by the name of Zothar and a prodigal mother from a people who hail from an island in the middle of the sea that nobody has ever heard of. Avorina, the mother of Avo, became a fortune teller, a false one of course but such is the way of the Darkcrows. This worked for a time and Avorina was able to provide for her child till he became of age to sail and do the work that sustained the Clan, this was when the little guy was first able to set to sea by his papa's side. Avo's father was infrequently involved with business at sea. Some might call raiding or thieving but others called providing, but none could say he was anything but a good father. Often, he would return after many months with small treasures and tall tales and his son was entranced by these tales and imagined his father as a heroic adventurer. One day a woman entered Avorina's home and asked for a reading. Avorina did as always, telling her what she wanted to hear, or so she thought. This woman was in fact a truly talented woman with mystic insights that bordered on the impossibility. She was furious with Avorinas deception and in her rage she cursed her child and his entire bloodline, or so the story goes to explain away the whimsical fate of madness beset upon the boy. Avorina was horrified, and slipped into a deep, unnatural sleep. For one month she was bedridden and had constant nightmares until eventual she died, nearly a week before Avo's father returned. Zothar had finally become captain of his own prize and was joyous upon his return, only to find Avo crying in a corner covered in blankets and his wife dead from wasting sickness. So they said. The father of this unfortunate child knew no other remedy, and thinking the entire situation too strange to deal with he took the child and brought him onto his ship and left the Roost. Avo was a small boy, not deemed very much of a sailor from appearances sake, but nonetheless gained favor with the crew by quickly picking up several of the tricks of the trade. He would traverse the ship with swiftness and grace, helping here and there with the tasks that needed doing. All the while he suffered from madness which struck him blind and senseless on occassion. The sailors were uneasy at first and thought him tainted by the red waters but of course his father's stature and the fear he cultivated from his men kept them from tossing the boy overboard. After several years on his father's ship, he had learned to do nearly everything that needed done on a ship. The crew loved Avo despite his odd nature and strange mannerisms. So it was only natural that when Zothar was aged he was promoted to captain. By this point his madness had grown into a core part of his being and through it he gained a reputation for being insightful in ways that bordered on the impossible and yet still he turns to drugs, drink and the embrace of solace to deal with his problems. Not a bad thing at all and for this very reason his family line managed to avoid much of the extinguishment that the rest of the Darkcrows suffered beneath the hands of the Seraceni's righteous steel and the flames of war. Perhaps this is why he serves the House today, coming all the way from the Roost to serve the interests of the Clan and the House alike.
  interests of the Clan and the House alike.)
• Azova Darkwater  + (Azova was a treasured daughter who grew up …
  Azova was a treasured daughter who grew up with the pampered life of a noble and yet found it left her empty and cold. Instinctively conscious of her privilege even at a young age, she observed her family’s place in the world with a certain level of native uncertainty for its justice, and focused hard on her studies with the seraph on anything that she could learn that might justify her position. So it was not that surprising, as she blossomed into an earnest, educated young woman, that she blossomed into one with a keen desire to find ways to give back to the world and to help others. Well-intentioned idealism is not the only pathway to the physicians’ guild and the Mercies of Lagoma, but it is a well-traveled one, and there were friends and mentors to help guide Azova on her way. With the support of her family and a dewy-eyed hope about the future, Azova ventured forth to Arx. During the Silent War, she cut her teeth on battle, and saw horrors that quenched her initial idealized version of being a battlefield medic in blood and terror. Others might have wilted back and sought a quieter life, a quieter service, when subjected to such early trauma in their career, but not Azova. She was a noblewoman, a daughter of House Darkwater, a lover of Lagoma, and above all other things, a healer. She had studied to be a doctor where she was most needed, and this was a trial by fire that left her with grim determination to succeed.
  ft her with grim determination to succeed.)

• Cynara  + (Background)
• Symonesse Grayson  + (Background)
• Symonesse Marin'luna  + (Background)

• Bahiya Mathali  + (Bahiya grew up a beloved child of minor no …
  Bahiya grew up a beloved child of minor nobility, her peaceful, idyllic childhood marred only by a singular accident that robbed her of her sight. Adaptation required a strength of character that bloomed easily and surpised no one; sightless or not, her family found it hard for her to be anything less than independent and gracious. Well loved and well educated, there wasn't anything she didn't want to learn, the girl having an especially keen ear for language fostered early. It's very difficult to grow up loving your life, your people, your place in the world, even the path that unfurls before you, when you disagree so heartily on something so fundumental to it all: slavery. It's a dangerous thing to disagree with salvery among the Eurusi, but from a young age Bahiya struggled to keep her ideals hidden. Life as a courtier, an influencer, and an advisor, settling into the official role of diplomat came naturally to the educated young woman. Finding her words weighed seriously by members of court, both the respected and the powerful, it was Prince Damik'uhl'daja who eventually brought her into his retinue. Kenjay, her bodyguard, was a slave in her service until they came to Arx, Bahiya's first order of business to free him gaining her an unexpected companion in this foreign country. His freedom is a release of her own as well, as she no longer needs to hide her formerly forbidden ideals among the people of the Compact.
  en ideals among the people of the Compact.)
• Baltus Darkwater  + (Baltus Darkwater was born to the life of t …
  Baltus Darkwater was born to the life of the sea, like many of the Saffron Isles. Being a man of the sea goes is in his blood for it goes back generations. His love of the waters might be aided by the fact he was born on the Isles, more specifically Cielos Encantadores. There he was raised, mostly by his mother, along with his siblings. He was taught a mix of being a proper nobleman and sailor, making him both regal and crude, yet charismatic as a leader. When he was old enough he started travelling with his father on the seas, learning the way of a future captain of a ship. He spent his times in port in the arms of a woman he could seduce with his confidence and charm, though, because he was on the more serious side his choices were limited despite his looks. When his mother died at the birth of his youngest sibling Baltus and his father agreed that Baltus would spend a little more time on shore attending to his siblings to assure they were properly raised. He still spent time on the sea but less until his younger siblings were old enough to take care of themselves. During one of his times at port in Arx, a very brief port, Baltus met his wife to be. A Whisper and the epitome of beauty, at least to him. During his time in Arx he spent every available moment with her, trying to woo her. He managed to woo her enough to get her to agree to keep in contact via letters and to meet each time he managed to get to Arx. Baltus took every trade he could to get to Arx and spent his time there with the Whisper, Carita, and with her he built a grand romance. He had to fight to make Carita his wife, for she was common - even though she was a Whisper. Carita was his grand love. With her he has, thus far, had one child. And yet things took a dark turn soon enough, and they went from a grand romance, to estranged, to divorced. Still she remained a Darkwater, something very difficult for Baltus to understand - particularly when she was made a Voice over him. But all of that seemed less important after Darrow died defending Darkwater against the Fleet. Though Carita had ordered the place evacuated, still this was his home, and now he has determined to spend his efforts showing what a true-born noble can do - rebuild his home, strengthen his people, and lead well into the future.
  his people, and lead well into the future.)
• Barik Reed  + (Barik's life begun in the Western oathland …
  Barik's life begun in the Western oathlands that belonged to the Kingdom. His family was one of proper means- his father an auspicious, and beloved bard who went from home to home leaving little crumps of happiness, and sometimes more than that. His mother wouldn't complain, he always came home with coin, and for a woman who had spend her whole life in poverty it was sufficient for her. The inherently independent Barik took to hunting rather than singing; he took to trekking through the wilderness and adventuring to far-gone townships rather than inherit the legacy set by his lascivious father. Since his departure from family grounds, Barik has been on a quest of acquiring meaning- meaning that hasn't been manifested, yet hopes to find in the very Capital of the continent.
  find in the very Capital of the continent.)
• Bashira Ru-Taul  + (Bashira was a Thrall, much like her brothe …
  Bashira was a Thrall, much like her brother, Caspian. As were her mother and father. Her parents died and they inherited their debt. To say that their life was not easy was an understatement. But there was a light in the form of Princess Donella Thrax releasing them from their Thralldom. Bashira was sixteen and Caspian was nineteen. Going from life as a Thrall was not hard for her, that was until Caspian said that he was going to leave for Arx and become a mercenary. This did not upset her. Her brother needed to walk his own path and he had taken care of her. She was a bit upset with him when she found out that he'd changed his last name, but, she let it go. She stayed in the Mourning Isles, determined to find out more about their Tribe. Wanting to find some remnant of their family. But that turned out to be far more difficult. So she started to learn a trade, working on merchant ships as a sailor. When she wasnt working, she was doing her best to absorb every bit of knowledge she could about the Island Shav culture and things related to it. Caspian wrote her diligently. Through these she learned more of what he was doing, but she knew something was amiss. Call it sibling intuition. She continued to work hard though, finally going back to learning new skills. She was surprised recently by a letter from her brother, asking if she can meet him when he visits the Mourning Isles on the Champions Tour.
  the Mourning Isles on the Champions Tour.)
• Basilio Cabral  + (Basilio or "Basi", as his crewmates call h …
  Basilio or "Basi", as his crewmates call him for shorter name convenience, is not one with much to be recorded in the annals of history. Hailing from the Saffron Chain, grown up around Darkwater docks, he had neither memory nor keepsake of either of his biological parents as he was thrust into this world of salt, sea, and scoundrels. He was taken in and raised by a crusty old cook who lived in the company of the tropics' Lower natives and worked on a Thraxian ship. While occasionally a pilferer when the need or urge arises, Basilio thrives more when able to jump from one odd job to the next. As such, he has garnered a bit of a reputation back home as "that boy who can probably do the thing". His foster father managed to squirrel him into some more stable employ on the same sailing vessel as a rigger. The ship has recently docked in Arx but, unfortunately, some political issues surrounding their current Captain and Quartermaster have left the crew in shambles and Basilio without a job (because good cooks are always in demand).
  (because good cooks are always in demand).)
• Bastien Crown  + (Bastien came to Arx as a young man in his …
  Bastien came to Arx as a young man in his early twenties with far more pride and attitude than the silver in his pockets warranted and with ambition of great artistry. Surprisingly -- to Bastien, at least -- these ambitions were not /immediately/ fulfilled by wild success and acclaim. He's been toiling away, mostly in the underbelly of the city, but eventually towards more of the mediocre middle once he found enough steady work over the past decade. The focus of his work is in playwrighting, and he became known -- at least within a small community of arts lovers -- for having a particular affection for plays of political and cultural commentary with a taste for the avant garde. Of course, sometimes he just needs to write a comedy where everyone gets married in the end, if for no other reason than to pay the bills. But he doesn't do it /gladly/.
  the bills. But he doesn't do it /gladly/.)
• Bastien  + (Bastien came to Arx as a young man in his …
  Bastien came to Arx as a young man in his early twenties with far more pride and attitude than the silver in his pockets warranted and with ambition of great artistry. Surprisingly -- to Bastien, at least -- these ambitions were not /immediately/ fulfilled by wild success and acclaim. He's been toiling away, mostly in the underbelly of the city, but eventually towards more of the mediocre middle once he found enough steady work over the past decade. The focus of his work is in playwrighting, and he became known -- at least within a small community of arts lovers -- for having a particular affection for plays of political and cultural commentary with a taste for the avant garde. Of course, sometimes he just needs to write a comedy where everyone gets married in the end, if for no other reason than to pay the bills. But he doesn't do it /gladly/.
  the bills. But he doesn't do it /gladly/.)
• Baz Thornburn  + (Baz is a Thornburn, and she couldn't have …
  Baz is a Thornburn, and she couldn't have been born into a better family. Full of artists already, it's how the woman's writing was nurtured, and so one can't say lack of nurturing is why Baz turned into an acerbic recluse, obssessed with finding the perfect muse, with writing plays that shape the Dream itself. She's had critical acclaim, she's tasted the dizzying, drugging heights of seeing her work spread across the land. But the mercurial playwright has also sampled the bitter dregs of bad reviews, has fallen into black despair at the smallest criticism, hiding herself away in her family home back in Arx, chainsmoking and writing drivel for months until the cycle repeats.
  drivel for months until the cycle repeats.)
• Tobias Telmar  + (Beaten into shape, that is how Tobias woul …
  Beaten into shape, that is how Tobias would describe having spent his childhood. He was everything his father is not, but being the oldest son, he was expected to one day take over as General from his father. Indeed, Tobias threw himself into his studies and training quite well, but compensated for his own sanity with indulging himself excessively outside of his daily training... a fact that drove his father to press him even harder. After all, if he had the energy for pursuing sports and women, he had energy to do more training. This vicious cycle took most of his teenage years... until finally, he seduced Beatrice Grimhall at a wedding reception, and spent a month doing semi-nightly 'meetings' with her before they were caught by the Telmar Guard. Furious, Duke Grimhall demanded that Arn arrange a marriage to his daughter. Never more than a casual dalliance to find some measure of enjoyment in his fathers relentless schedule, Tobias outright refused, setting off a dispute between father and son that ended with Tobias disappearing a week later, under the cover of night. It's been many years since that night, with Tobias coming back to public Compact life as the Lord General of the Crimson Blades. He's spoken very little of the five years he had disappeared to anyone, and has seen the Crimson Blades through the Silent War with skill and professionalism, along with many other contracts. Tobias might be the black sheep heir of House Telmar for now, but there's no denying he's a skilled general and warrior in his own right.
  lled general and warrior in his own right.)
• Beatrice Malespero  + (Beatrice's parents ran a shipping business …
  Beatrice's parents ran a shipping business out of Caith. The family did well enough, though at any given moment their entire fortune was wrapped up in some expedition or another, or it was drained to repair a ship, or something else meant constant scrimping and saving. As she grew, she watched her parents celebrate new deals and weep when a ship was lost. She saw how the pair went to bed every night exhausted. She watched as years and years of grueling, painful work netted them almost nothing. Beatrice decided that was not the life for her. The woman was allowed out of the warehouses and away from the ledgers when she turned seventeen. It wasn't that she wasn't an excellent bookkeeper, she just wanted to see more. She was soon first mate aboard one of her mother's ships. At twenty-one, after a most unfortunate accident during a storm, Beatrice's ship was out a captain, and she was quick to take the job. By twenty-three, Beatrice was soon raking in piles of silver, all off the books and without her parents' knowledge. Beatrice had learned quickly the fine art of smuggling. She had fallen in with the Argento family, who ruled Nilanza back then. After financially supporting a failed attempt to overthrow the Pravus family, Argento was hurting for funds. They turned to illegal goods, and Beatrice became their primary mover. It was good, easy, fun work. In the next couple of years, Beatrice left her family's company to work exclusively for Argento and oversee their ports and smuggling operations. Things were going well, until it seemed the Pravus family had figured out everything. Fearing Beatrice might flip on Argento, the family ennobled her. If she was an Argento herself, they reasoned, she'd be seen as guilty. She would be unable to turn against the family without getting herself imprisoned or worse. And they were right. Beatrice fed information to the Pravus family. She saw the coming wave. She knew this would only end one way. And when the soldiers came to collect her, as they came to collect every Argento, she went into her cell with chin held high. A year later, Beatrice has emerged from the dark of her imprisonment. In that time she not only convinced Marquessa Lianne that she was the one who had turned against her oath-breaking family, but that she was also ready to serve once more... not to mention too useful to have locked away. Beatrice was declared innocent of treason, and the time she served plenty to cover her other misdeeds. She surely wouldn't pick back up her old illegal ties, not after being granted her freedom! No, surely not. Now, she is still a noble, sworn wholly to House Malespero, and eager to get Nilanza back in proper order.
  eager to get Nilanza back in proper order.)
• Beatrix Corsetina  + (Beatrix and her twin sister Margaux were b …
  Beatrix and her twin sister Margaux were born in the beautiful city of Tor to a branch of the Corsetina family. Unfortunately for them, their youth was during the troubled time of the Tor-Southport War, when Count Lucien Malvici had usurped the rule of the Fidante family, and their early years was spent evading the horrors of war, the cruelty of the well born, and dreaming of one day having the peace and luxury of the nobility for themselves. As women the two sisters rose notoriety. Beatrix was a well-known muse to many artists in the city, her dalliances with upper crust commoners and even some nobles sparking many rivalries and a lot of drama, her ambition and boldness unafraid to make the occasional enemy. Margaux's fame was darker, the shadowy woman having become a criminal of ill-repute who avoided capture time and again, ahead of those who set themselves to catch her every time. Their paths diverging, the elite called Beatrix their White Thorn, bright and perfect, and in time a noblewoman of the Fidante vassal of House Floris was so taken by Beatrix, the noble asked her in marriage, giving up rank and title (if not wealth) to join in marriage. The tragedy that followed quickly became the talk of some of some of the Lycene city-states, and the common consensus was the following drama occured: Feeling like she had been left behind by her sister, the violent Margaux murdered Beatrix's wife a day after their wedding. The White Thorn woke up that morning by her dead spouse's side, the former noble's chest carved open by with a single, bloody white rose stuck into the exposed heart. The noblewoman-turned-commoner's former House couldn't accuse Beatrix of the deed as she would be the one to lose any benefits gained from tying herself, even if haphazzardly, to nobility. The answer was obviously Margaux, and the hunt began immediately. Beatrix, alone and afraid, worried that once the Floris were done hunting down Margaux they could come for her. She was just a commoner, after all, why would they stay their vengeance and stop at one Corsetina? With the heat too much for to handle in Tor Beatrix left for Arx where she has since found and sought refugee with the rest of her family, hoping she can rebuild her life away from Tor and her sister. But Beatrix is already recovering. Bloodied and hunted she might be, she's still the ambitious young woman that was unafraid of obstacles in her path. She'll have her wealth and safety again, and woe be to those who stand in her way.
  and woe be to those who stand in her way.)
• Cristoph Laurent  + (Because he was the second child of Duke Ed …
  Because he was the second child of Duke Edmund Laurent by a number of years, Cristoph was educated as the 'spare' to his sister's heir. He showed considerable aptitude for the soldier's trade, and generally expected that it would be the knightly service of the ducal seat that would be his life's work. Yet his path was not so set when she struck herself from the rolls of House Laurent. His sister was in her early twenties when she left the laity sisterhood of Gloria to be truly godsworn and throw herself into the Faith. That left Cristoph a boy coming to his adulthood in a changing universe. (It also killed a potential marriage alliance with another ducal house, but never mind. There will always be more potential brides, right?) Yet the mantle of heirdom did not sit easily on Cristoph's shoulders. He was accustomed to a soldier's trade, a soldier's goals, and he hungered for the glory of the battlefield. He risked himself early and often, leading from the front and leading the charge ahorse against the Shavs even as a young man. Badly injured to within a few inches of his life in a skirmish a few years ago, his men prevailed upon him to control his more glory-hound impulses; his father had lost one heir to a different kind of duty, and it would be terrible to lose another, particularly with his younger sister so very much younger. In order to accustom Cristoph to responsibility and grow him into his role as the future duke, he was made Voice of Laurent, and threw himself into the work with a will to prove himself, first while he lay recovering in an infirmary bed, and then afterwards when he was wholly recovered. He proved a pragmatic thinker and a capable organizer. So it was that when the duke fell ill and died in the spring of 1005 and he took the reins of the duchy, it was with several years solid experience under his belt, as a leader of men whose vibrancy was newly tempered by patience.
  e vibrancy was newly tempered by patience.)
• Bedivere Whitehawk  + (Bedivere Tyndall is a retired general know …
  Bedivere Tyndall is a retired general known for commanding the 8th Lancer Unit of the Bisland army during many skirmishes against hostile shav'arani tribes in the Crownlands. A son of Sir Harry "the Hotspur" Tyndall, Bedivere was groomed for command at an early age and distinguished himself apart from his peers once he joined the ranks of the Bisland military, at the ripe age of eighteen. He made friends and quickly ascended the ranks, culminating in him becoming one of the youngest generals to ever be appointed. He developed a reputation as an expert horseman and set an equestrian high-jump record that stood for almost 15 years. Ahead of him seemed to be a promising military future -- one likely to be longer than that of his notoriously hot-headed father. That is, until he suffered his first true loss on the battlefield and was captured by a particularly vindictive chieftain. For having slaughtered his sons, the chieftain refused to execute Bedivere outright, and instead severed his right hand, killed his men in front of him, and proceeded to torture him for weeks on end. He was saved by another unit, and he recovered physically, but the mental scars were permanent. In anguish, Bedivere retired from the military at the age of thirty and returned to his home in Old Oak, where he married his childhood sweetheart and began a family. He attempted to become a farmer to acquire the income to support his family, but his injury made him heavily reliant on paid help, and the fickleness of the harvest made their financial fortunes precarious at best. In early 1006 AR, his wife Lynette fell ill and unexpectedly passed away, leaving him to raise his two children alone. As fortune would have it, his nephew would be ennobled later the same year, and offered him a position as Marshal of Hawkhold -- and with it ennoblement and enough silver to comfortably provide for his family. Bedivere accepted, his mind still sharp as ever, though his reflexes notably less so. Upon visiting the city for the first time in many years, Bedivere accepted a position within the Knights of Solace, seeking a position to re-train his rusty skills and lend his assistance to a worthy cause when his duties at Hawkhold do not overwhelm him.
  s duties at Hawkhold do not overwhelm him.)
• Anastajia Mercy  + (Being a young girl who has never known her …
  Being a young girl who has never known her parents, life has been rather difficult for Anastajia. She knew her strengths were in making people happy, and decided she would make a living out of doing just that. You may think one in a situation such as hers would lose their way in life, but she resolved to keep her head held high and take it one step at a time, literally. Entertaining people was in her blood, and with the various skills she had picked up along the way, as well as her aptitude for dance, she was able to make a enough money to get by. She may not be wealthy, and may appear to be all alone in this world, but the fact remains that she is gifted with the ability to touch the hearts of everyone she meets. Because of this, she never feels like she is alone in the world.
  ever feels like she is alone in the world.)
• Bjorn Grimhall  + (Being born a Lord of Grimhall was to be bo …
  Being born a Lord of Grimhall was to be born to privilege he never wanted, and obligations he never asked for. From a young age, he was fascinated by the court of Arx, with its fashions and grandeur, but that wasn't what was expected of a Grimhall lord. He was to be a solider, to set aside any frivolity, and to marry a wife in a political match eventually. His sister Jadzia was set to marry someone far off in the Lyceum by the time they were 18. It wasn't what she wanted, but she was more resigned to her familial sense of duty than Bjorn. He still hoped he could avoid it, spending time with a handsome courtier named Thomas who acted as a tutor, and filled the young man's head with tales of the capital city of Arx Still, despite wishing to do little more than spend time with the young man who had won his heart, Bjorn was to be a soldier. While Bjorn was far from weak as a young man, he had always been built for speed and agility compared to his hulking and brawny older brothers, who mercilessly abused him in training and mocked him ruthlessly as he learned. His father, without consulting the young man, informed Bjorn was due to marry in the Oathlands, and would be marrying out of the family. He'd likely not see home, and Thomas, again for years. Rather than face that, Bjorn did the near unthinkable for a noble, and renounced his title, traveling to Arx to live with his sympathetic Aunt Mahin in the Ward of House Thrax. That put him in contact with the Crimson Blades who had been hired by Aunt Mahin to protect her very small estate. He began to spar with them and soon caught the attention of their Lieutenant. It wasn't long till he was signing papers with his aunt's blessing, and despite the heartache at leaving home and those he cared about behind, he felt happy. Briefly happy. He received word of his aunt's brutal murder during his Crimson Blade training. Apparently, he had not been gone a day before someone killed her. Sliced her flesh into ribbons. House Thrax's guardsmen even permitted the Inquisition to look into the matter, but the guilty were never found. Her last wish was he be happy and do well in the Blades, to follow his heart. And so he has. Throwing himself into the Blades that welcomed him, despite his name, like family. And it became real a few years later when Thomas joined the Blades as an adjunct healer for a contract. They fell in love and got married. Everything was going so well. Then came the Silent War. At the end of it he survived, but according to records his husband's position was overrun. He never even saw the body. Other men would have fallen to drink or worse, he fell to killing and focusing on his work. Taking the pain and making it useful.
  ork. Taking the pain and making it useful.)
• Lekan none  + (Being born in Velenosa means that eventual …
  Being born in Velenosa means that eventually, all citizens must learn to either deal with the many tricks, machinations, and horrors the houses inflict on each other, mostly in 'private', or learn to ignore and avoid them. Lekan learned at an early age that he had a steady hand, a lack of issue with the shedding of blood, and a desire to have the fine things of life. At first, he was a steadfast worshipper of the Pantheon, but years of harsh, vicious back-alley fights and backstabbing intrigue that, despite all prayers to the contrary, has left almost everyone he ever knew (family, friends, loved one) dead in gutters or vanished? He believes in nothing. Well, that's not quite true. He believes in his own sword-arm. He believes in coin he can touch. He believes in women, or at least that they exist. He believes that people can use him. So he comes to Arx, the sour taste of a deal gone badly being rather hopefully left behind as he hopes to make a new life in this city.
  he hopes to make a new life in this city.)
• Kanean Ironfoot  + (Being born into the Ironfoot clan meant be …
  Being born into the Ironfoot clan meant being as hard as the metal from their namesake. His ancestors got their name because they were so tough, so relentless that none could match their stamina in battle. Being the second second of Tuscak, an Abandoned shav traditionalist who was fed on the fires of hate for the Compact, he was raised to raid and burn the fields of his enemy. His mother shook him from her skirts when he was old enough to stand on his own. Any weakness or tenderness was beaten out of him by the time he was ten. When his father put a bow in his hand, because his leaner stature and keen eye made him a natural, he practiced with the intent that he would make his father proud. Brand was a plaque upon the Abandoned Tribes of the Oathlands. He took the fuel of hate that lived in the Ironfoot's hearts and fanned it out of control. Kanean was there along side his father and brother, possessed by the dark magic to deal death to the citizens of Arx. He felled many that day. But the Gods that protect the Compact managed to break Brand and release the Abandoned tribes that were under his sway. Leaving the once proud tribe broken, leaderless. His father was angry the day the Oathlanders came to the encampment to gloat over their handiwork. He urged Kanean and his brother to enter the crowds, warning others not to listen to the false promises that bending knee would bring. He watched as his cousin was brought on stage, a boy too young to be cheiftain. Then it all fell apart. An Oathlander with the help of Rivenshari arrested his brother and himself. He was sent to prison with the outrageous crime of trying to murder his own cousin. He was caged with his brother for months, even after his father died in a trial by combat. It was during his captivity that he learned the truth, the horrible story of how his father tried to get his cousin to light himself and his sisters on fire to protest the Compact. How his father tried to start war again before his people had even recovered. When they were brought to trial, to speak to the tribunal, Kanean denounced what his father had done and gladly bent on knee to Count Athaur Rivenshari. He took an oath that would bind him to the Compact that he once fought. While he will make up for his past wrongs, he is not broken. He is still of Ironfoot.
  he is not broken. He is still of Ironfoot.)
• Abellus Ironfoot  + (Being born into the Ironfoot clan meant be …
  Being born into the Ironfoot clan meant being as hard as the metal from their namesake. His ancestors got their name because they were of Iron, unbent by war or bloodshed. They were a proud family with a strong heritage. Abellus has tried his whole life to live up to his name. Being the first son of Tuscak, an Abandoned shav traditionalist who was fed on the fires of hate for the Compact, he bore the same hatred for those that would try to break the Abandoned Tribes and force them on their knees. His mother was a wise woman who had her man's back. She never let him cry as a child, and made sure he would be as strong as his father. Yes, the early years of training and fists were hard but they forged him to be stronger, better than the weak Oathlanders that hide behind their armor and castle walls. When his father taught him in all manner of weapons, from the bow to the great sword. He favored the great axe in his mighty hands. Brand was a plaque upon the Abandoned Tribes of the Oathlands. He took the fuel of hate that lived in the Ironfoot's hearts and fanned it out of control. Abellus was there along side his father and brother, possessed by the dark magic to deal death to the citizens of Arx. He felled many that day. But the Gods that protect the Compact managed to break Brand and release the Abandoned tribes that were under his sway. Leaving the once proud tribe broken, leaderless. His father was angry the day the Oathlanders came to the encampment to gloat over their handiwork. He urged Abellus and his brother to enter the crowds, warning others not to listen to the false promises that bending knee would bring. He watched as his cousin was brought on stage, a boy too young to be cheiftain. Then he was betrayed by another Abandoned, arrested and brought to prison before he could blink. An Oathlander with the help of Rivenshari arrested his brother and himself. He was sent to prison with the outrageous crime of trying to murder his own cousin. He was caged with his brother for months, even after his father died in a trial by combat. It was during his captivity that he learned the proganda, the story of how his father tried to get his cousin to light himself and his sisters on fire to protest the Compact. How his father tried to start war again before his people had even recovered. While he did not wish to see his cousin die, he does not hate his father for his desperate actions. When they were brought to trial, to speak to the tribunal, Kanean denounced what his father had done and gladly bent on knee to Count Athaur Rivenshari. He took an oath that would bind him to the Compact that they once fought. Abellus was forced to make a decision. He could refuse and die. Or he could swallow his pride and go on bended knee. Even though he knew his father was rolling in his grave, he knealt and took an oath so that he could continue to watch out for his brother. He will keep his oaths because he is a man of honor.
  ep his oaths because he is a man of honor.)
• Ilmia Leary  + (Being born with parents who travel a lot c …
  Being born with parents who travel a lot can take a toll on young children, stripping them of their ability to make friends. Especially when that young child grows up an only child, to a family that favors books than socializing. Ilmia Leary, on the other hand, is a unique case. All of these obstacles were just challenges for the young Leary girl, and oh, does she love a challenge. Everywhere her family went, Ilmia immediately put in the work and effort to make as many friends as she possibly could before the next move. It was practically like a game to her, with a ledge she kept to record her 'score' as she went. Not that she needed a book, considering her exceptionally keen memory. When she came of age, Ilmia set off on her own, seeking to make a name for herself rather than just piggy-backing off of her father's name and relic collecting reputation. No place is safe. From the coldest of Redrain lands, to the most liberal cities of the South. Now, however, it's time to explore one of the most prominent cites in the whole Compact: Arx.
  prominent cites in the whole Compact: Arx.)
• Eithne Thornburn  + (Being one of seven children has its challe …
  Being one of seven children has its challenges. For starters, if you're not the oldest or the youngest, you might end up blending somewhere in the middle. Eithne blended into the mix for many of her formative years until she decided enough was enough. Her mother always wanted her girls to pick up a trade and be skilled. Her father didn't seem to care what they wanted to do. When Eithne decided on following in her father's footsteps, it irritated her mother who doesn't think a woman's place is in a forge but her father couldn't be more thrilled. He took her under his wing and showed her everything he knew. A father couldn't be more proud of his child when Eithne not only learned the trade but excelled. It wasn't long before Eithne was showing her old man a few tricks of the trade. Born and bred in Arx, Eithne's family the Thornburn's are from the Upper Boroughs. Her siblings are all pretty successful in their own ways. These days, Eithne has herself a great clientele of customers who live and breathe in their armor. She's even secured a few who are daring enough to be 'guinea pigs' for some prototypes she's been working on. Nothing concrete yet, nothing that she can actually sell or market, but at least she's innovative! I comparison to most young women her age, Eithne isn't interested in marriage or children at the moment. She's very focused and driven on her career. There are so many other more important things to do than to be tied down, barefoot and pregnant. For example, learning how to fight and competing in amateur competitions or spending all night playing cards at the local tavern.
  l night playing cards at the local tavern.)
• Itzal Culler  + (Being the eighth of eigth children is some …
  Being the eighth of eigth children is something of an achivement. It signals the end of an age, the definite decision of a mother that she is quite done with bearing children into the world. And the distinct impression of being unwanted, of being that one extra bite of the cake soon made to regret by an uppity stomach. Itzal's childhood was not one surrounded by motherly warmth, but rather by the rough upbringing expected from older siblings, various uncles and aunts, and the harsh words of a resentful progenitor. Itzal wasn't alone in this situation, however. While having been born so shortly after the seventh was most likely one of the reasons why his mother chose to never have children again (and keep that oath till death came for her), it also gave him a sibling of his age to share much of his experiences with. That sibling was Mae, his older sister, and she proved a lifeline of sanity, madness, peace and trouble that he could never have done without. It should come as no surprise then that he developped a similar way to avoid trouble, and tasks. Indeed, he swiftly became known to vanish as soon as work needed to be done, and prove so difficult to find that doing it themselves was usually less work for his family than to find the youngest Culler. While his skill at hiding would eventually force him to perform particular jobs, it also granted him more free time than most. That free time, he would spend listening to the various musicians of the city, listening to reciting poets or sneaking into the theater to witness the latest plays. It changed him, those outings of his, and soon he was making his own music and writing his own poetry... with various results. It's not that he was bad at it, though he had much to learn. It's that he found entirely too much amusement mocking his audience as impressing it, making fools of nobles that might have proven wealthy patrons with his wit and sharp sense of humour. The life of a courtier held no interest for him, yet if not that, what? The answer came when he was seventeen. One day, he was simply... gone. No word, no warning, just gone. Off to travel the world, it was assumed, when he didn't return for days, and then weeks. Gone, or dead. It hardly mattered for anyone but those closest to him. Time passed, till five years had come and gone. The King had fallen to his restless sleep, woken up again, Arx had suffered an invasion and siege and now prepared for another battle, High Lords and Ladies had come and gone, and Itzal returned as if nothing had happened. Giving various tales, each grander and more impossible than the last, he never gave a straight answer as to where he had gone, or why he had left. Yet he has returned, and now seems happy to have returned to the Lowers of his youth... and resume his various other activities.
  . and resume his various other activities.)
• Seth Steelhart  + (Being the youngest child of the youngest c …
  Being the youngest child of the youngest child of his grandfather is a crime against fate that Seth will never forget. It didn't help that his brother Padraig grew tall and strong while Seth faced a childhood filled with sickness. He may have recovered, but it was too late, his father, Gregor, had already poured all his hopes and dreams into Padraig, and Padraig was even knighted by his uncle Frederik. There was no resentment towards Padraig, no, Seth spent the better half of his life despising his father, for his harsh criticism, unyielding loyalty to Frederik, and last but not least, the biggest crime of all: not loving Seth. But how could he, when Padraig was so great? Seth more then looked up to Padraig, he worshipped the ground he walked on. Padraig taught Seth how to trust no one but himself, how honor is only as important as what it earns you. This is why Seth agreed to follow his brother's scheme to depose Frederik and put the Chillhearted on the seat of the Highhill. The plot didn't go as planned. While Padraig fought Frederik in an honor duel in the Great Hall, Seth's job was to hold his cousin Sara and her mother Lydia hostage. It went poorly, even with his sword drawn and her unarmed, he was no match for the knight Lydia was, and by the time his brother was slain he was already locked in the room he planned to hold them in. It was Frederik's mercy after an oath of fealty that led to his release, and while the rest of the Steelharts grieved over the next tragedy, Lydia's suicide when her son's corpse was carted home, Seth sulked. What the future holds for him, only time will tell.
  future holds for him, only time will tell.)
• Lenne Crovane  + (Being the youngest of many siblings meant …
  Being the youngest of many siblings meant that there would be no great inheritence or weighty duty for Lenne. At best she would see a political marriage or minor office to oversee. Some would find that a bitter fate, but for Lenne it meant freedom her elder siblings couldn't have. She used it to its fullest. As a child, she was a parent's nightmare, vanishing for days into the forest, to return filthy and babbling excitedly about what she saw. She was delighted to be scolded with being homebound, pestering others for stories, or sneaking into the libraries. It never got better. She was equally infuriating as a youth, and worse as a teenager. Anatomy, history, theology, naturalism, spirit lore. No subject was safe from her scrutiny. No question was too obscure to escape examination. In desperation, her parents directed her to hobbies, and to their credit, it was somewhat successful. Some of her hours were spend safely working as a Mercy's Aid. Others with the Scholars, where her curiosity could be, at least, tolerated. Of late, her passion has been the unacceptably fractured history of the world. So when her parents announced she was to be sent to Arx, to gain proper 'seasoning' befitting her standing, she was overjoyed. What better place to figure out the truth of things than at the seat of so much of history?
  gs than at the seat of so much of history?)
• Bell Cleck  + (Bell Cleck (not his original name) is one …
  Bell Cleck (not his original name) is one of the many Eurusi refugees settled in the wake of the "freeing folk in the Saffron Chain" matter, and one who chose to go Crownsworn rather than settle on holdings as a serf. He says little about his old life. He's about looking forward. While he dabbles, generally, with selling and reselling, his key focus is on his apothecary business. As he will say with a gently sardonic smile, "Any slave worth his salves learns how to cover up the scent of blood."
  earns how to cover up the scent of blood.")
• Bellamy Redrain  + (Bellamy Redrain is the-later-in-life-child …
  Bellamy Redrain is the-later-in-life-child of a Laurent Lady turned Redrain Princess. As an infant they were concerned that she would not survive. For the first months of her life she struggled to draw enough air to breathe, but somehow she made it into her first year and then beyond. Her mother would remark that has a baby she was utterly determined to live... She should have grown into a woman with a steel spine. She should have grown up with the same sort of dogged determination as her older sister. She didn't. Nor did she grown into a person with the sense of adventure and wonderment that her older brother did. No, instead, a cossetted, pampered, and perhaps just too sheltered, childhood lead to a soft, sensitive woman. In childhood while many Redrain princesses might have trained with the sword, or shield and spear, or perhaps an axe... She was not. She took an interest in it once, and it took quite the argument and persuasion with her mother to allow her to even begin her lessons. And as soon as she got the fainted of scratch (and started crying over it) she was forbidden to try again, and the tutor given a stern lecture. And this was how it was for every thing that Bellamy might have pursued. As soon as it became a touch difficult she was either forbidden by her mother to continue or was allowed to stop because her mother couldn't bear her tears. And so, the only thing she became good at were non-dangerous things or things she had a natural aptitude to for; such as research (strictly in the archives, of course), and social interactions with others. Indeed, if she weren't so kind hearted she might make a skilled diplomat. However, even The Softest Princess can ignore the call of adventure and the excitement of Arx for so long... and after a year of fighting with her mother she was allowed to travel south and join her older siblings in the great city.
  join her older siblings in the great city.)
• Benedict Ferro  + (Benedict is known to be the son of a black …
  Benedict is known to be the son of a blacksmith, in a very long line of blacksmiths. Though years after swearing fealty to House Fidante, and serving in the ranks as a soldier in their Army, he attained the rank of Sergeant. Not long after which, amazing deeds and acts of bravery and fighting skill earned him a battlefield promotion to Lieutenant, and soon after, Knighthood within house Fidante.
  on after, Knighthood within house Fidante.)
• Berenice Velenosa  + (Berenice grew up afforded all of the privi …
  Berenice grew up afforded all of the privilege and benefits one might expect for a Velenosan princess: she has never wanted for much, and what she did want for, she often wheedled her way into getting. She had a knack for the social web of Lenosia that her family identified and cultivated early, and she did well having some direction rather than letting her whims take her wherever she wished. As a rather indirect cousin to the main branch of the family, she had to make a bit of noise to get noticed, but she was nothing if not willful. Unfortunately, she was also not /entirely/ tamable to her family's will: when a potential match with an upstanding Valardin prince began to be arranged, and she found herself violently, VEHEMENTLY against the idea of being shipped off to the OATHLANDS, she /may/ have misbehaved herself /just/ enough during a visit to muddle the whole affair before it got too far. Instead of the Oathlands, she ended up shipped to Arx, where it was determined she would make herself useful if she was going to make a mess elsewhere.
  if she was going to make a mess elsewhere.)
• Dino Corsetina  + (Bernardino Corsetina will be the first to …
  Bernardino Corsetina will be the first to admit that he's not pure of heart, selfless, or has any pretentions to be a hero, but then go right along in deeds that might amount to doing just that. As a very young man, he was listless and flighty, first thinking he'd become a great courtier, charming everyone at court when he finally got the chance to visit Arx, and maybe even becoming a Whisper. Then the dream was to be a scholar. And then he was studying swordsmanship under every local bravo he could in his tiny village of Setara Downs, a few leagues outside of Setarco. Unlike his flashy cousins making names for themselves in Arx, the young man found himself trapped in a provincial life and refused to be satisfied, much to the exasperation of his seamstress mother and scribe father. Tragedy changed all that. His latest whimsy had been studying with the Faith as he considered becoming a mirrormask, but all that came to a sudden halt when his parents were murdered during a festival for the Eclipse of Mirrors, underneath the light of the bloodmoon. Dino doesn't speak about the incident save that it haunts him that he could not save his parents, but it caused him to immediately set out for Arx, and swear to protect his family. The young man still has a bit of flighty behavior to him, and an optimism that borders on the naive, but it's tempered with a new determination. He might not call himself a hero, but he'll fight for his family, and to never be helpless again.
  is family, and to never be helpless again.)
• Bethany Mercier  + (Bethany is the youngest child and only dau …
  Bethany is the youngest child and only daughter of Adlai Mercier, a Grayson wine merchant of increasing wealth and repute. While most in the Borough scrape by, Bethany and her siblings enjoyed a childhood within the comfort of a large mansion in the Upper Borough. A great part of her early education came from her mother, who consulted Archscholar Aldwin Aurum for advice and hired a skilled Scholar of Vellichor to regularly tutor her children. In these studies she excelled: by the age of nine, Bethany could read and write three languages. Though he was often away from home, Master Adlai doted on his daughter and frequently boasted about her intellect to his social betters. Through her close relationship with her knightly brother, Bethany has even acquired knowledge of the basics of swordplay, though she lacks the physical strength needed to wield blades larger than a rapier. As a teenager, Bethany attended a noble wedding and impressed Lady Alarys Grayson with a performance on the piano. Upon being informed of Bethany's many talents and her father's desire to see her in high places in society, Alarys secured a position for Bethany within the royal household, if only as a servant. She was initially lukewarm towards the idea - though serving the Graysons was an honor, it hardly seemed to make use of her talents - until she met the young king in the Palace, and his Majesty Alaric Grayson IV seemed so shockingly indifferent to matters of economic policy that he actually asked the brand new young servant's opinion out of the blue on a matter of finance for the entire court. She quickly learned that most important matters were handled by his ministers and particularly the Voice of House Grayson, Lady Dawn, and that provided all the motivation she needed to know that even as a minor servant, her voice and talent could be meaningful at court.
  e and talent could be meaningful at court.)
• Hammar Crown  + (Big and dumb, those two words have set the …
  Big and dumb, those two words have set the path for Hammar's life to this point. He has no real idea as to when he was born, just knows the date he was brought to the Orphanage, and so this is considered his birthday, for all that it matters. Hammar grew up in the Lower Boroughs, beating people up to get food, clothing and anything else that he considered essential goods. He was given a crudely made warhammer when he worked as a guard for a smithy in his youth, and has taught himself what could be considered the crude Lower Boroughs form of combat with said weapon. He knows he is likely too dumb to learn the proper use of the weapon, but his savagery when he is mad more than makes up for any practical training. Hammar went from job to job, working as a debt collector, bodyguard and selling his warhammer skill to get him through life. Hammar has used this skill to try and do better in his life, but he being not the most intelligent of men, he finds it difficult at times to figure out a sure path to get himself in a better situation. Despite this, he tries to get his name out there as a good whacker, and is certain he will make a difference eventually.
  tain he will make a difference eventually.)
• Blacktongue Artiglio  + (Blacktongue the Harlequin, the jester of H …
  Blacktongue the Harlequin, the jester of House Velenosa, wouldn't have said that being a fool was his first career choice. He's never felt there was much job security in being a fool professionally when so many other people are willing to do it unwittingly for free. That said, he enjoys making others laugh, and Blacktongue vastly prefers his current method of making others laugh (telling jokes, for example) than his old one as the long time cupbearer and poison-taster for Archduchess Carlotta Velenosa, the Grand Duchess of the Lyceum. Given the choice, he's pretty sure anyone would rather tell a joke than produce scattered giggles by choking loudly and twitching on the ground, but he supposes there might be individuals of strange cares who would lean towards the latter. That being said, he enjoyed his time as the poison-taster for the most popular assassination target in the Lyceum, and leaving the post to become instead her fool wasn't really his choice and not really his fault. He simply become so tolerant of poisons that not only was he hardly harmed by some of the more popular toxic agents, some he could no longer detect at all- it only took one near miss with his beloved Archduchess for him to step down and no longer be the honorable Donato Artiglio, trusted hand of Archduchess Carlotta, and become instead her jester- Blacktongue the Harlequin. All things considered, it could be worse. By all rights, Blacktongue should have been dead a hundred times over; his tongue being coal black is a not-so-subtle reminder of that. But since he possessed the special providence that the gods always seemed to reserve for fools, and he had completely mastered the 'fall down and twitch' routine after trying most drinks sent to Carlotta by her innumerable enemies, it was a pretty natural progression. The way he figures, every single day he's granted is some questionable gift by the gods, and if he's making -them- laugh, then the rest of humanity should be no problem at all.
  t of humanity should be no problem at all.)
• Blair Elricks  + (Blair was born to one of the lesser famili …
  Blair was born to one of the lesser families. She grew to the age of ten before her apparent abilities for the spirits came to light. She was pulled up by one of the elders of the family, taught in many of the traditions of the ways of the Shamans. During this time as well, she was trained to fight. She worked to master her combat and her shamanism. This is how she came to her position as a warrior, or as many might say, a knight. At the end of her tutelage, she was told to go out and experience the world, for her experiences would temper her soul and grant her wisdom beyond her years. Blair wandered for a few years until meeting up with the Crimson Blades. She was invited to join the mercenary band, as one of the newer Privates.
  cenary band, as one of the newer Privates.)
• Donaldo Velenosa  + (Blessed, or cursed, with being one of many …
  Blessed, or cursed, with being one of many cousins from a great big old family, there's little fear Donaldo will ever have any real responsibility. Or Power. There's a name and a title, sure, but there are more siblings and cousins than there are crowns and ministers. Bounced around from task to task as a youth, never really finding something that held his heart long enough to make a life with. Former Apprentice Cartographer, Former Apprentice Botanist, Former Apprentice Scribe, the list goes on and on. Somehow after wearing so many hats, he finally found a hat he could keep on for more than a year. For some years now, he's made his way as an explorer. Having gotten quite good at this, path-finding and plotting out things and discovering other things, he has come to Arx to expand his network. It's an interesting hobby, some will whisper, but if the specimens he manages to collect and the artifacts and tomes he uncovers keep his travel accounts full, then for once at least he can commit to being one thing for once.
  he can commit to being one thing for once.)
• Bonibel Barleycorn  + (Bonibel Barleycorn was born in the North …
  Bonibel Barleycorn was born in the North to a small farming family. The second eldest of thirteen, she helped raise her cadre of brothers and sisters who al lent hands around the farm. Hard work and practicality were passed through the family, like hand me downs. Her mother had taken on the role of the healer and herbalist (and brewer) of the village and took Bonibel under her wing when she began to show signs of interest in tending sick animals and more than one occasion was found 'experimenting' in her mothers still. When Bonibel turned twenty she was swept off her feet by a foreigner visiting from the Crownlands. A roguish sort that took a liking to her both for her talent at brewing and her untamed wit and passion. The two married in a whirlwind romance and after a year with her family the whisked her off to a port city where he said he had found work for both of them. Her Husband's work was aboard a ship in Arx and while he was out to sea half of the year - his time away cause for the lack of children - and the young Apothecary was left in their small home in the Lowers to make extra silver. Three years later her husband's ship was said to have been lost at sea, taken by pirates or perhaps just lost in a squall no one could tell Bonibel for certain. Now a widow Bonibel works in the lowers brewing up scents, liquors and various tinctures to help aid the locals while keeping her larder full. She's kept to herself until recently but even a grieving heart can mend and the world can become new and exciting again..
  world can become new and exciting again..)
• Bonnie Shepherd  + (Bonnie was a child of two very different w …
  Bonnie was a child of two very different worlds. Sir Bentley Shepherd, her father, was the sort of stiffly honorable man that seemed to believe that one couldn't even crack a smile or make a joke without somehow undermining the seriousness of one's duties. Even if those duties weren't particularly serious. But time and again, she was grilled on obligation, duty, responsibility, honor, and a dozen other roughly equivalent synonyms that made for life's most tedious thesaurus and childhood. Her slightly older brother, Malcolm, even caught more of it as the first born, but Bonnie decided from an early age that a knight's life was not even remotely for her. Yes, it was incredibly fascinating how a few hundred years ago they were part of a ducal line that was dishonored and cast out, and there still was a line of Shepherds that ruled a duchy, but it had absolutely nothing to do with her. On the other hand, unlike her brother, Bonnie took to the sword fighting practice with her father with as one of her first passions, though it was maddening to her father when Bonnie veered away from his knightly style and leaned immediately into the flamboyant, flashy Lycene duelist style that her mother Andromeda had mastered as a retired member of the Champions Guild. It was her father's loud condemnation of it that was the start of several fights that led to his divorce, and Andromeda running off to be a pirate. For Bonnie, this was a reminder that you can't please everyone, and set her on a fiercely independent path. After a few more years of trying to make it work with her father, the provincial and tedious life and constant lecturing about disciplined living just proved too much, and she set off to find her mother. Turns out, having an incredible natural talent with a blade, a scoundrel's flexible take on morality, some natural charisma, ambition and a very capable teacher really makes for a winning combination in being an exceedingly successful Naval Acquisitions Specialist. Her start at privateering startedly with (mostly) legal exploits such as fights with Abandoned raiders, acting as a sellsail, and convoy guarding, but she's fairly confident there's at least a half dozen smaller domains with grudges it would be unwise to visit. After her mother's comfortable retirement (the beaches in Setarco -are- very nice, she writes), Bonnie acquired quite a few names for herself (Black Bonnie? Bonnie the Red? Bonnie the Fashionable? Why are the memorable ones not repeatable in polite company?). She also acquired one of her best friends, Simon, an author and adventurer she rescued from Grazagh the Incoherent, an Abandoned Chieftain of the Deeptides clan. A few letters back home from an increasingly despondent brother convinced Bonnie that it was time for a change, and she and Simon went home, rescued poor Malcolm, and founded the adventuring (and sellsword) company named the Valiant Effort. The name was definitely her idea, and don't believe anyone claiming otherwise. She fully expected to do questionable deeds for adventure and profit as a former pirate for the rest of her days, and definitely never expected to hear from her father again. And she especially didn't expect to hear that the old, stuffy warhorse had apparently reconciled with the noble line of the family, become the house sword, died in glory, and been posthumously ennobled and had Malcolm declared heir. With her also ennobled with him. The idea was preposterous to her. But all right. She'll see this through. What's the worst that could happen?
  rough. What's the worst that could happen?)
• Amelie Wyvernheart  + (Born Amelie Steelhart, she was the younges …
  Born Amelie Steelhart, she was the youngest daughter in the Ducal line, so she grew up knowing that she did not really need to be concerned with learning the ins and outs of being a Countess. She grew up training to be strong enough to successfully explore the ruins she found such wonder and excitement in. Given that she often was so focused on her training and studies, she often found herself spending most of her time alone. As a gift for her eighteenth birthday her father, Count Frederik, gifted her a ship, a crew, and a map to unpopulated island. with rumors of ruins to explore. Her arrival to the island did not live up to the expectations she had in her heart, as her ship crashed in rough seas as they arrived, stranding her and the crew that survived. With the fall of Highhill also coming, she and the crew were forgot about, only recently escaping their unintended prison when a trading vessel happened upon the island. So now she has returned to the mainland to find her family has been replaced with a new one.
  r family has been replaced with a new one.)
• Amelie Steelhart  + (Born Amelie Steelhart, she was the younges …
  Born Amelie Steelhart, she was the youngest daughter in the Ducal line, so she grew up knowing that she did not really need to be concerned with learning the ins and outs of being a Countess. She grew up training to be strong enough to successfully explore the ruins she found such wonder and excitement in. Given that she often was so focused on her training and studies, she often found herself spending most of her time alone. As a gift for her eighteenth birthday her father, Count Frederik, gifted her a ship, a crew, and a map to unpopulated island. with rumors of ruins to explore. Her arrival to the island did not live up to the expectations she had in her heart, as her ship crashed in rough seas as they arrived, stranding her and the crew that survived. With the fall of Highhill also coming, she and the crew were forgot about, only recently escaping their unintended prison when a trading vessel happened upon the island. So now she has returned to the mainland to find her family has been replaced with a new one.
  r family has been replaced with a new one.)
• Ari Corsetina  + (Born Arrigo Corsetina to a poor but large …
  Born Arrigo Corsetina to a poor but large family in Setarco. No one-- /no one/ --calls him Arrigo, however. His name is Ari. He considers this so much his name that when he had a daughter he named her after himself and her mother. Who was Miraya, a lovely girl who flunked out of the Setarco school for Courtesans-- she just wasn't suited to that life. She was too carefree and flighty. She met Ari when he was naught but nineteen and was just about to go on his first tour sailing with the Pravus navy. Their was a fierce, passionate romance that ended with them married within three months. By the time that Arrigo returned from his tour at twenty his daughter-- Mirari --had been born. He managed to take assignments that kept him nearby for two years. Watching his daughter grow. However, he got an offer he could not pass up and he sailed out for a longer tour. Officially, his ship was lost at sea. In truth, his ship was raided by pirates and Ari was forced into piracy. The next eighteen years were spent with him slowly gaining the trust and loyalty of the rest of the crew-- until he could finally lead a mutiny against the pirate captain. As soon as this happened he set sail for Setarco, and flying the Pravus colors came to port to find his wife long dead of a lung sickness, and his daughter "gone". His wife's family wasn't very forthright about what happened to his daughter... Gone somewhere. He agreed to join the Setarcan navy as way to sail the world looking for his daughter. Never meeting the Duchess, never quite making the connections that would allow him to see that his daughter was closer at hand that he ever realized. In recent years he was called to serve with the Setarcan navy against the Gyre. His ship and crew distinguishing themselves in a small skirmish, and after the battles were done he was called to Arx to receive an honor from the Duchess.
  Arx to receive an honor from the Duchess.)
• Costas Voducce  + (Born Costas Voducce, the young third son o …
  Born Costas Voducce, the young third son of an unexceptional minor house expected only to live a life of relative obscurity tallying casks of wine and bolts of silk in one dusty counting house or another. His parents, notorious misers not much beloved by their liege or peers, spent little time on the twice-redundant son, boarding him at a series of schools only to ensure that he would not become an economic burden on the lineage. It had been three years since he had seen his family when he received word from his sister that the family was relocating their interests to a more favorable location in the Saffron Chain and that his brothers had decided he need not hasten to join them until his studies were complete. She begged him to join her so that their greedy brothers could be prevented from squandering the family fortune. All he need do was secure a ship to meet them mid-voyage along the secret route they had travelled together as youngsters on their family's ships. She had even arranged a ship.% So it was that Costas Voducce brought ruin to his house. The ship he rushed to board, eager to reclaim a place in his family, was a pirate vessel. It did not occur to him to ask why, if his sister had secured the ship, she had not also provided the destination. A helpful Costas was eager to assist. It was not until the flags of his family's company were spotted that the pirates raised their own, and he was tossed in the hold. After the battle, he was tortured for five days before they were satisfied that he had no more information that could be made into a profit. He would have been dumped overboard there, throat slit, save for that the ship's navigator pointed out that he could use a man who knew letters if they were to command a fleet of prize ships. For three years Costas swabbed decks, cooked meals, and copied endless nautical directives for ships in the pirate fleet. Never fully accepted into the crew, he was subject to routine beatings. When after one particularly rough drubbing Costas sustained a fractured arm that put him off his work for weeks, the navigator decided to begin training him in the sword so that he might defend himself. He took to it quickly, finding a talent completely unlooked-for and a sense of confidence he had never known. When three months later their ship was attacked by a rival band of pirates, Costas killed four himself. Though he was not added to the marines despite his skill, owing to his value as a navigator, he would be force to repeat the act many more times over the next four years. While it was not a life full of much happiness Costas had come to accept his place, just as it was upended one more time. On a cold and moonless night, while seeking quarry closer than ever before to the southern ports, a patrol of Malvici pirate hunters caught them in a bad wind and a fierce battle ensued. Faced for the first time with the prospect of having to fight someone that wasn't a pirate, he made the decision to try to flee in a dinghy. Magata had other plans. A storm rose up during the height of the attack and he was quickly capsized as the engaged ships battered against one another in a cacophany of splintering wood. When he next awoke, it was to the prodding spears of Malvici bannermen who found him floating among the wreckage. He would have been put to the death there, had not one of them spotted the seal of a noble house on the simple leather strip he wore around his neck. Though long since dispossessed of its lands and titles, the name of Voducce would have a final grace to extend to its last scion.
  a final grace to extend to its last scion.)
• Vena Venelana  + (Born Rias Venelana, Vena as she prefers to …
  Born Rias Venelana, Vena as she prefers to go by, was born into a family of commoners working the lands of House Redrain. Coming from a strong and hearty family young Vena was very much rough and tumble like her liege lords. Having a fairly active upbringing, between being a tomboy and performing simple labor fitting for a child of low family Vena grew more and more the tough and strong girl she already was predisposed to. As she entered her adolescence Vena wanted to get out and become famous and make more silver, not an original dream for a low-born peasant girl. To her advantage however one day at Farhaven, while helping to unload goods for her parents to sell in the market, she caught the eye of Prince Sherrod Redrain who saw potential in her. After making arrangements with Vena's parents the young woman started to be trained as a pit-fighter, as the prince saw potential to make a good bit of money off the unusually strong girl. As it turned out she was both agile and quick, and also blessed with a good bit of stamina she had the raw potential to be a skilled fighter. Her speed and limberness assisting in her ability to largely avoid blows combined with favoring an unarmed fighting style which basically just boiled down to "use whatever works". Her skills and physical conditioning continued to improve over the next couple decades after she fought more and more bouts bring both her, and especially her patron, a good grip of silver. Vena turned into a ferocious and vicious fighter, cold and emotionless with only victory being the goal and willing to go all out to get it, she gained a reputation as an opponent most learned to be cautious of, and due to her uncharacteristic style and how she fought she came to be known as "Demoness" within the pit-fighter community. As she grew into her late twenties Vena had a solid reputation as a fighter, feared and respected by many, and largely on top of the world. She was doing something she enjoyed, treated well by her patron, and while she lost plenty of fights she won many as well. Things changed in her last fight, having grown arrogant and with a chip on her shoulder due to a string of victories and being in the community for so long a fight was arranged that was to bring in a lot of silver. Vena and her opponent were fairly well matched, but Vena's stamina and superior ability to dodge or deflect away blows from her opponent ultimately gave her the upper hand. Towards the end of the fight Vena was clearly in the lead, having pinned her opponent and repeatedly striking them like a madwoman, not uncommon for her in such situations. Strangely though she was more wild, none of the spectators had noticed but her opponent had the stronger will and kept trying to get back up over and over no matter how many times Vena hit them. Vena's ego was struck, she was winning, she wasn't going to lose, he was going to be knocked out even if she had to kill him. Such was her thinking before after a few minutes with the man still trying to get up from under her she snapped out of her rage and realized what she was doing. This was a fight for glory and coin, not a deathmatch. Having stopped suddenly she slowly rose and took a few steps back, as her opponent looked like he was the victim of an attack by the entire forests population of animals. He slowly started to get to his feet as Vena recoiled in shock of his will and the horror of her own actions. He took one step forward as he started to raise his fists, only to collapse as fatigue finally beat his immense will and Vena was proclaimed the winner. Vena explained what had happened when her patron asked why she behaved so odd at the end of the match, out of sympathy and her skill he offered to take her off the circuit for awhile so she could recover. Instead she asked if she had enough to buy out her contract, she had more than enough, and she did. Vena retired from pit-fighting after that. To further distance herself from that life and the shame and regret she had for herself she also swore fealty to the crown, though she did explain her reasons to her patron. He wasn't entirely pleased about it, but he could understand enough why she felt that way, also she had bought her contract so she could do as she pleased. Vena does remain on good terms with House Redrain to this day, though she moved to Arx to once again, distance herself from the life she feels shame over. Vena met a man around her own age after coming to Arx, a man that helped to soothe her soul and lighten her heart. After only a few months he asked her to live with him and she agreed. It was soon after she was pregnant with her daughter Mira. Four years later when Vena was thirty-one Vena and her lover parted ways, they simply didn't get along anymore and Vena took possession of their daughter. Now a year later Vena continues to be the best mother she can for her child, she'll still get into fights from time-to-time but nothing too serious and more often than not it is to protect someone of to blow off some steam as it were. The catch is with a growing child and the costs of living, one can only live off of collected wealth before it runs out before you have to start working again. Largely Vena is a very different person, from the last fight that haunts her to her precious daughter she'd die and kill for, and simply a relatively quieter life Vena has lost her arrogance, gained joy, and is even known to be seen dancing at times, largely dancing of her own style and often with her daughter.
  her own style and often with her daughter.)
• Forato Fidante  + (Born a Fidante 23 long years ago, this lad …
  Born a Fidante 23 long years ago, this lad fell into the hands of a southern tribe of Abandoned during the Tor-Southport war when but a toddler. Sold as a slave for a few years he ended up in the service of a Witch Doctor who was steeped in the Demonic traditions. While never truly allowed to forget his place as a slave, he gained great knowledge of the enemies of the Compact, of their religions and their tactics. For some reason the Witch kept him always near but never allowed him to be taught any vocation other than that of a menial servant. When found and rescued in a raid only a year ago, the young Fidante finds himself in a world he had only really been able to imagine, or dream of based on his most distant memories. Now suddenly a noble, instead of a slave. The fated Fidante has his future to find.
  The fated Fidante has his future to find.)
• Dion Navegant  + (Born a Stonewood, Dion had adventure on th …
  Born a Stonewood, Dion had adventure on the brain from a very early age. He was the oldest of his siblings, and should have had a better sense of responsibility but he was far more interested in what was over the next hill, hidden in those trees, or written in code in that book. So as soon as he was old enough he left home, and hasn't looked back since. Not because he didn't love his family, he did. But he wanted more than just staying at home, doing his duty. It was during a trip through Arx on his way somewhere, from somewhere else, that he met Annika Navegant and swept her off her feet. Together they have roamed around the east, but alone he has ventured further across Arvum, delving into whatever he could find. As age started to overtake him, he began to roam less and less, turning his attenion to collecting his own adventures in the pages of books, but also others. He'd read, write, and listen to the stories of those that can roam further than he can these days. Because of this, when his wife suggested they head to Arx he lept at the chance to return, and to take part in new adventures there.
  and to take part in new adventures there.)
• Lycoris Hawkmour  + (Born a bastard of Tiberio Pravus, the Swor …
  Born a bastard of Tiberio Pravus, the Sword of Setarco and another Lady just three years prior to Lucrezia, her life was spent between the sea and Setarco. Luxury was the highlight of her young life and even at a young age was intrigued with matters of fashion and the Court. When her father was poisoned, all that changed and her mother spirited her away to foster under her wings, elsewhere. When she resurfaced a number of years later, it was to announce her courtship to Marquis Duncan Hawkmour. A political match undoubtedly, and since the Hawkmour family was vastly under-represented in Arx Lycoris moved straight away to Arx to manage the family's affairs in such a tumultuous time.
  amily's affairs in such a tumultuous time.)
• Jayeth Black  + (Born a bit more than three decades ago to …
  Born a bit more than three decades ago to a smithing line that can claim generations of metal workers, Jayeth was named in honor of the god Jayus, another hand to wield the hammer of the Black family in a tradition unbroken in the memory of his ancestors. He took to the craft from a young age, fierce expectations set on shoulders that would one day be broad enough to support them. An active, boisterous youth, he often fought, played and got in trouble, though his general good nature and hard to repress smile held through even the strictest of punishments. By his twelfth year, he was already larger than most men and his physical growth would not stop any time soon, the rambunctious smith touched by his love of craft and life. He was a smith in his own right by his late teens, but hadn't opened a shop until he was in his twenties. He spent years mastering his craft, refining his abilities to their utmost even while maintaining an irrepressible nature. In the winter of 1004, after the Alaric had fallen ill, Jayeth's own luck turned, a commoner that would end up disappearing in the tumult after the Night Grove incident. Another, smaller, incident happened. Reyna happened. He discovered her injured just outside his smithy, two others corpses not far from her. He took her in and, when others came to see about her, knocked enough heads easily enough to change minds. It was a mistake, in many ways, as the person he'd rescued was pursued by a jumped up merchant with noble aspirations. Even worse, she was a bandit. Still, he forged his path as he did all things in life, a friendship growing between him and the bandit girl. Weeks of quiet lowered their defenses enough that, while out shopping, Jayeth's smithy was burned to the stone. Many men searched for them at this point and, with little help and his family at risk, they fled. It was months of skipping from town to town, laying low for awhile before they were forced out once more. It was only when they got to Arx that the pursuit stopped. There was no reason for it, no way to know why or how, but they found shelter in the Lower Boroughs and respite from their chase. With few options left, Jayeth has set about looking for work or patronage, he has the skills, he just needs the space and maybe then, they can breathe.
  he space and maybe then, they can breathe.)
• Talen Artiglio  + (Born a commoner and the only child of Giov …
  Born a commoner and the only child of Giovanni Artiglio, Talen's memories of that time and even that man are hazy at best. As he grew, Talen was told stories of the Captain of House Velenosa's guard, and the finest duelist in the Lycuem. The tales told of how Giovanni died saving his liege lord, the then Archduke Consort Niccolo Velenosa, after being poisoned with Kingsbane tasted in his cup. In his last moments it was his wish, spoken to the man he had saved, for Talen to be raised as a Ward of House Velenosa. Talen was never quite sure whether to feel grateful for his father for that, in truth. Being raised as a commoner child surrounded by princes and princesses was not the easiest of childhoods, and so he fell into a nebulous state of being part servant and part foster child. It tooks years of service before he was ennobled, a ward and then a Sword, a knight and then finally a prince, adopted by Niccolo himself. It wasn't long after that he married Eleyna Velenosa, whereupon a new chapter of his life began, as they ascended to the throne of the Great House and there he sat beside the Archduchess as her Consort to rule over the Hundred Cities with aims to unite Lyceum once and for all.
  ith aims to unite Lyceum once and for all.)
• Vaela Crown  + (Born a commoner, Vaela's parents were less …
  Born a commoner, Vaela's parents were less than thrilled with her arrival. They hadn't planned to have a child and they made that well known during her childhood. She was raised well enough, she supposed, despite their neglect. Vaela set off on her own in her early teens. While her mother and father are still alive somewhere, she couldn't care less about them. Instead, she choose a life of small time thievery, even if it was out of necessity. She often introduces herself as an orphan, her loyalties lying only with the crown. She'd always had a rule that she'd be an honorable thief, only taking what she needed to survive, whatever it may be. She told herself that she would never steal for profit, but lately things have started to look awful tempting. She struggles with her own conscience often, swaying in either direction at times.
  ten, swaying in either direction at times.)
• Avary Ashford  + (Born a cousin of the main branch of the As …
  Born a cousin of the main branch of the Ashfords and the older sister of Addison, Avary had the distinct honor of being noble by blood, at least. She was a reckless youth, as many Ashfords are known to be, flinging herself head first into any kind of adventure. She loved her home, she loved her family, and she was loved in return. Yet, at the age of 19, something changed suddenly for the young noblewoman. She shut out her family and walked away from her title and claims to join the priesthood without a word of explanation why. She was a different woman after that; she applied herself fiercly to the studies of the Faith and the questions of it, but she withdrew inward. She travelled, seeking out answers, even as she devoted herself to the Sentinel, never seeking out her Ashford family despite their closeness to Arx. She only returns now, called back by the Faith that took her in, to step into the shoes that Legate Orazio has left behind to become Archlector of the Sentinel.
  hind to become Archlector of the Sentinel.)
• Kastelon Keaton  + (Born a distant cousin to the ruling branch …
  Born a distant cousin to the ruling branch of the Keaton family, Kastelon never considered the necessity for all the political niceties and simply focused on the good, honest work of keeping the people of Oakhaven safe. He easily took up the skills of a Huntsman, efficient with both sword and bow, trained to walk stealthily through forest and field. He was good at his work, and soon found himself in need of a challenge. So it was that he began hunting more dangerous game. Not just bandits and poachers, but the creatures found deep in the woods, the sources of rumor, of legend and myth. Mostly he finds really angry, really messed up bears. Sometimes he finds things he'd rather not speak of. After a particularly difficult mission, he has decided that he's earned himself a bit of a rest and a chance to recuperate with his family in Arx.
  ance to recuperate with his family in Arx.)
• Medeia Eswynd  + (Born a few minutes after her sister Neilda …
  Born a few minutes after her sister Neilda, Medeia grew up in a branch of the Saik family not meant to inherit the barony. The pair were raised hearing the stories of grand adventures and courageous deeds carried out by members of both their mother's and father's families, but unlike Neilda, she did not dream of adding to those tales. A bright, inquisitive, soft child who doted on her dolls and was dazzled by elaborate gowns, the family expected Medeia would be a useful spare for making a political match. And all seemed to be going according to that plan as the girl took to her lessons with acuity. By her early teen years, she had shown natural talent for many of the skills ladies of the Lyceum are prized for, in addition to an interest in the process of turning fruit into wine. It was idyllic, until an incident while fostering in Nilanza with her uncle - Marquis Marco Argento - left her scarred, terrified, and paranoid. At just 15, she ran away, believing it was the only way to keep herself - and her family - safe. Medeia found her way to Arx, where she could hide among the throngs of people. During those few years she was away from the barony, she lived as a commoner and learned midwifery and basic medicine. When she learned about her brother Estaban's death and returned to Saikland Greens, it was to a baroness-regent who was a stranger - and who did not believe she was who she said she was. Thankfully, her parents confirmed her identity, and Lucita welcomed her back. However, a deep rift left relations with her parents strained. Even so, Medeia quietly tended her duties in the barony, attending lessons to make up for her time away and taking on the oversight of the wine and spirit making. When called to Arx, she was excited to join the peers of the Compact and experience the city in an entirely new way. That return has changed her life considerably with a surprising betrothal request, travel to far off places, and earning some powerful allies (and enemies). Now, with children of her own to protect, she finds herself on political and literal battlefields while trying to do what is best for the Compact.
  trying to do what is best for the Compact.)
• Medeia Saik  + (Born a few minutes after her sister Neilda …
  Born a few minutes after her sister Neilda, Medeia grew up in a branch of the Saik family not meant to inherit the barony. The pair were raised hearing the stories of grand adventures and courageous deeds carried out by members of both their mother's and father's families, but unlike Neilda, she did not dream of adding to those tales. A bright, inquisitive, soft child who doted on her dolls and was dazzled by elaborate gowns, the family expected Medeia would be a useful spare for making a political match. And all seemed to be going according to that plan as the girl took to her lessons with acuity. By her early teen years, she had shown natural talent for many of the skills ladies of the Lyceum are prized for, as well as interest in viticulture and medicine. It was idyllic, until an incident while fostering in Nilanza with her uncle - Marquis Marco Argento - left her scarred, terrified, and paranoid. At just 15, she ran away, believing it was the only way to keep herself - and her family - safe. Medeia found her way to Arx, where she could hide among the throngs of people. During those few years she was away from the barony, she lived as a commoner and learned midwifery under Tanith Grayhope's wing. When she learned about her brother Estaban's death and returned to Saikland Greens, it was to a baroness-regent who was a stranger - and who did not believe she was who she said she was. Thankfully, her parents confirmed her identity, and Lucita welcomed her back. However, a deep rift left relations with her parents strained. Even so, Medeia quietly tended her duties in the barony, mastering lessons to make up for her time away and taking on the oversight of the house's wine and spirit making. When called to Arx by Lucita, she was excited to join the peers of the Compact and experience the city in an entirely new way. That return has changed her life considerably with the assassination of an uncle - Dominus Orazio Saik, a surprising betrothal request, travel to far off places, and earning some powerful allies (and enemies). After five years of marriage spent in a Prodigal house of the Mourning Isles during a civil war that pitted her against her own blood and beliefs, an unexpected (and quiet) divorce finds Medeia back in the Lyceum.
  ) divorce finds Medeia back in the Lyceum.)
• Shyanne Eswynd  + (Born a few years younger than her brother …
  Born a few years younger than her brother Odin, Shyanne has always been quiet. It was rare if ever that someone heard her talk, she stuck to drawing when she was young. Her moods were driven by the moon and its phazes Shyanne often hid herself away when the moon was high prone to fits of funning away often for weeks at a time with little memory of where she had actually gone. As she grew she took to healing and her skills with medicine grew, as so did her maturity. With maturity she has learned how to subdue her desire to flee into the woods, but it still happens from time to time.
  s, but it still happens from time to time.)
• Ciaran Farshaw  + (Born a lord of House Farshaw, Ciaran never …
  Born a lord of House Farshaw, Ciaran never show any interest in ruling: instead, his mind was fixed on adventure. While Farshaw might not boast much in the way of a war navy, Ciaran always managed to make an impact bigger than the military resources he had available--developing a reputation as an able tactician and intrepid explorer. Be it against barbarian tribes or long-lost settlements of the Abandoned, he showed a knack for moving through the far places of the world. There, he made both friends and enemies. In the Gyre war, he showed particular gallantry. Unfortunately, it was in that conflict, at that moment of triumph, that his life took a turn. Suffering a terrible wound to one of his legs, a wound that seems to have been in some part spiritual as much as physical, Ciaran now must live with a perpetual limp, and never fully regained his martial prowess. For a time, he bounced around the far corners of the map, and perhaps some places beyond its borders. Whatever obscure place he got off to, he has at last settled in Arx, where he intends to represent his family and support the ruling lords.
  t his family and support the ruling lords.)
• Dimitri Velenosa  + (Born a minor Lord of House Pravus, Dimitri …
  Born a minor Lord of House Pravus, Dimitri's life was never pre-destined to be anything but what he wanted to be. Far removed from any chance of ruling his House, the young Lord was afforded the opportunity to grow and prosper as he saw fit. Of course, this didn't stop various members of his family from trying to guide him in one direction or another, but ultimately, he would find his own path in life. And what a life it was. At a young age, it was easy to see that Dimitri would never be skilled in any form of the martial arts. Sure, he received some training in how to use a blade, but he's as equally likely to hit a friend as he is a foe. Coupled with his just plain .. disdain for learning such things, he found himself avoiding any such teachings. Instead, his love seemed to come from socializing. From spending time with people from all walks of life. From brash to kind to stoic, the young lord never seemed to have an issue with trying to make a new friend. But one can not spend all their time merely lounging around, no matter how much they may wish to do so and with Dimitri's apparent natural skill at talking with others, he found himself inadvertantly settling disputes amongst his friends. Playing the role of mediator and calming tempers was something that came naturally, it would seem, and as the years progressed, so did this ability. It wasn't long until he found himself being called upon by others to aid in matters of diplomacy and with his love of talking and socializing, it seemed as if he had found a calling, at least one that he could stand to do. It was during an event in Lenosia that his life really took a twist, in so much as he stumbled upon a Velenosian Princess, Cerys, who drew his eye almost immediately. Although the pair couldn't have been more different, where she was a skilled warrior and he was a minor diplomat, an easy friendship was struck. With House Pravus preparing for elevation to the status of Great House, it was the perfect opportunity to see one of their Lords married into House Velenosia, to try and strengthen a bond that would no doubt be strained as vassal became an equal. A whirlwind courtship was arranged and blessed and afterwards, the pair were married. Now, with the honeymoon phase having come to an end, the pair have made the choice to start their new life together in Arx.
  e to start their new life together in Arx.)
• Khari Ru'Taul  + (Born a thrall under house Redreef, the sal …
  Born a thrall under house Redreef, the salt twin of Mikani, Khari was given to one of the distant nobles of the house after her parents were killed. She worked all manner of jobs in the house, learning many good lessons for one who works in service to others. Most importantly she learned to keep quiet and not give anyone anything they could use against her. At the age of 21 she was smuggled out Redreef Shores and taken to the Saffron Chain. Eventually she found her way to Ischia, and found employment in the house of the Marquis, where she has served loyally since. Now she has come to Arx to help the family get everything in order.
  o help the family get everything in order.)
• Viveka Llyr  + (Born a thrall, she comes from a thrall fam …
  Born a thrall, she comes from a thrall family, who years and years ago was a minor noble house that had fallen and was taken and claimed by Thrax. The women of the Wojciech family made a long line of wise women, local healers, and keepers of hearth wisdom; knowledge and teachings that were passed down from mother to daughter, and so forth. A practice that was shared among the women folk. While Viveka did not go to any fancy academies, her grandmother's and mother's teachings, and her history and experience as a healer has served her well, and she is well renowned from the Isles she is from for being an exceptionally talented healer. She has always been a devoted follower of Lagoma, who like her foremothers before her, holds a very special place in her heart. Her husband Stevik was a ship captain for one of the various ships within the Thrax armada, and her oldest son, Marinus, was his First mate, and her other son, Rolf, served on the same ship as his brother and father. All of them died during the battle against the Gyre, leaving Viveka bereft from the loss of her husband, and her children. The grief of it still clings tightly to the woman. With no family left, and deeply grieving from her loss, she has left Maelstrom, needing to not be near that which is familiar. As such, she's moved to Arx, to throw herself into healing and assisting others, perhaps as a way to help her deal with her own grief; needing to keep herself busy. She seeks to assist Thrax, as well as Arx in the coming days, to help heal and bolster those in need. To kindle a new hearth, and share her knowledge that she learn from her foremothers, with other like minded people. And just maybe, to start again.
  ed people. And just maybe, to start again.)
• Lore Artiglio  + (Born abroad to Carabelle Artiglio, sister …
  Born abroad to Carabelle Artiglio, sister to Giovanni and Blacktongue, Lore didn't reach Arx until she was in her fifth year. Her mother brought her home to the family without a mention as to why, refusing to speak on the matter, ever. It lead Lore to being raised in the Lyceum ward, growing up alongside her cousins, and indeed, being sad when Talen was sent to 'the Big House' to live after Giovanni's death. Still, she found herself with plenty of playmates, growing from childhood to adulthood, travelling here and there with Velenosan merchant ships. She discovered a penchant for drawing, and a love of cartography, learning quickly to chart the lands and seas where she traveled. Lore even gained a bit of a reputation for knowing the best people to deal with, how to get where they wanted to go (quickest routes don't always mean safest, though!). A few years back, she sent a messenger to her family saying that she'd found a ship bound for Eurus and that she planned to sail with them, come Abyss or high water! And then nothing, for years. Not until a ship sailed into port bearing a young woman claiming to be Lore Artiglio!
  young woman claiming to be Lore Artiglio!)
• Elfriede Waters  + (Born across a salty shore of Thraxian doma …
  Born across a salty shore of Thraxian domain, for the longest of whiles; for the lengthiest passings of time as child, Elfriede only knew salt. And blood. She was peddled around as child like useful product when her known-parents were slaughtered beneath a raid after having survived many from a ship of black and crimson colors on a serpentine stretch for sigil. Too young to serve as an adult, yet too old to be flung into the sea as burden, she was raised in a kitchenette jury rigged together beneath the quarterdeck of a Thraxian boat. Made to wash, clean and rinse the dirt of sailors since she has known memory, with callouses to speak of it, when time begun to develop her the few remaining women in the ever-dwindling kitchen of the declining pirate coordination smuggled her back inland; back into the several holdfasts that stand at the feet of the Maelstrom. Life in the Mourning Islands was hard. She no longer cleaned for anything other than herself, but food; but production and want for a thrall of so-few skills then made her a target - it made her a victim - and victimization became her life in such teen years while living in a society where the hope of end's meet came at the expense and compromise of her values. What few she had left. Inevitably, violence returned to her life. And it did so in storm- she worked the streets as thief and eyes alike; she shared her perceptiveness with those that'd dare purchase it. Experience taught her the networked ecosystem of 'knowing' - and through this knowing she thrived as young as she was. In this life of humble burglary, she finally came upon a man; an old, hardy Knight born in the Oathlands. Happenings led them to strike an odd friendship, for none would dare claim they fit. He called her squire. They travelled long, and left the lands of Thrax together to reach the capital under the care of this knightly old thing. Age took him from her not too short after arrival beneath the wary trip, and Elfriede now finds herself roaming the streets in search of purpose, like one too many.
  s in search of purpose, like one too many.)
• Brannen Harthall  + (Born along with his twin, Bree, Brannen Ha …
  Born along with his twin, Bree, Brannen Harthall had his life set out since he was born. He never questioned the life put out for him. Never for a moment. Early in his years it was decided when Brannen was of age he would lead the forces of Harthall. He would train in the martial arts and become a respected commander. And he sure did. Brannen is very much an Oathlander. Conservative, stern, driven, bound by honor, and a tad humorless. Ever since he was a boy Brannen understood the importance of his duty and what he would need to take on over the years. While Bree took to fighting, Brannen took to command. He was still an excellent warrior, but it did not take long for him to earn the respect of the Harthall soldiers. Bree often would complain to him how she wanted to be out on the road, serving Gild, being a Knight of Solace. Brannen kept them grounded. To duty. But one day, tragedy struck. The heir to their house was killed in a horse race while both Bree and Brannen were present. Brannen informed the Harthalls that Odhran mismanaged his saddle and as a result died of it. Brannen Harthall in a moment of misery over his fallen cousin left with Bree Harthall. The twins became Godsworn and dedicated themselves to the Knights of Solace. Brannen has arranged himself in the Knights of Solace, aiming to be a martial force as well as a keen commander of the Knights.
  s well as a keen commander of the Knights.)
• Egil Frost  + (Born amidst the beautific rose-gold arches …
  Born amidst the beautific rose-gold arches and stone masonry of Stonedeep, Egil was orphaned, or, perhaps, abandoned -- he was never really sure -- to a life of filth, squalor, and blood. Wading clear of it didn't come easy, especially as an orphan, and were it not for the conjunction of his scrappy cunning, wanton savagery, and the favoring of fortune, he may well have never acceded to adulthood. It was in his teens that he first found his calling, earning coin by acting as servant to mercenaries, bands of men dedicated to wiping out troublesome villages of Shav'Arvani. The heat of combat soon propelled him from a mere servant to a fighter in his own right, and he earned his keep in adulthood by hunting and claiming bounties. While tracking a particularly problematic group of blood-drinking Shav'Arvani, he encountered Duchess Nadia Nightgold. After a dispute with the Duchess regarding his rights to claim the bounty he'd been hunting, they came to terms, and he aided her in tracking down the remnants of the tribe. Offering him handsome pay, she invited him to travel to Arx and enter her service.
  im to travel to Arx and enter her service.)
• Ferris Ulbran  + (Born an Ulbran on the streets of the Lower …
  Born an Ulbran on the streets of the Lowers, Ferris soon proved that he was never going to be a pickpocket or a sneak thief, and temperamentally he just wasn't suited to the criminal life - so his mother found him an apprenticeship with a smith, and he found himself enjoying it. After mostly churning out nails for the dockyards for a few years, he decided to take to the road and learn more; nails became horseshoes, arrow heads and tools, and Ferris wandered the breadth of Arvum as a travelling smith. After the first few crude bits of plate armour left his anvil he realised that that was what he most enjoyed making, and sought further training; after spending time with the armies of various Highlords, and more importantly with their smiths, he found himself supplying the soldiers retaking Bastion. In the wake of that conflict - and with a good purse of money in his favour - he's returned to Arx to rejoin the family and set up shop as a professional armoursmith. After all, everyone knows how much money you can make in Arx if you're good enough, and Ferris is entirely confident that he's good enough.
  entirely confident that he's good enough.)
• Skriggs Commoner  + (Born and bred on the docks of Arx, Skriggs …
  Born and bred on the docks of Arx, Skriggs often had to contend with the other children for consideration in games around the alley or, if the older children were on the prowl, quick enough to avoid their whallopings. This life suited a young Skriggs, who was often left to his own devices with his mother off tending to the sick in the hospitals and his father sailing to sea on whatever merchant ship would take him. The young commoner grew to love his home city for the many wonders it held just outside of his reach, like the many prim and proper towers and manses the nobles lived in. The only escape Skriggs found from his much smaller existence in the few blocks he called home was in his time in the Shrines of the Faithful. The grandeur of the sites put the boy into an awe each visit and fostered a muted respect for the priestly order in the boy. While any were free to join their numbers and this meant the odd nobility within the ranks, the Godsworn were a faith that sheltered and taught all who came to them. While the choirs and sermons brought breaks from a chaotic childhood of no supervision, Skriggs found that as he grew into a young man that their welcoming arms may not just hold peace for him but also a warm meal and the only offer of a roof over his head. With a particularly serious illness having spread through his neighborhood, Skriggs finally lost his mother. When his father learned the news on his return to port, Skriggs was not surprised to find he had left with another merchant the next day, and even less surprised to have never seen him again. Taken in by the Faithful, Skriggs took to learning his numbers and his letters, rounding out common education from the streets with much more theological ideals. Since taking his oath and swearing his fealty to the Pantheon over any House or family, Brother Skriggs has taken to brewmastery and in the pursuit of a good mead has become something of a adept bee-keeper amongst the Godsworn of Arx.
  pt bee-keeper amongst the Godsworn of Arx.)
• Salena Dumund  + (Born and raised a Northern girl, Salena ha …
  Born and raised a Northern girl, Salena has made a reputation for herself in the travels from her homelands and into Arx's bustling streets as being a solitary warrior and beast trainer. With knightly arms and the company of a Shaman of her home, she spent months spreading good fortune along the countryside and in various villages on her way to the capitol. While her manners were always found to be lacking, the young knight has made a name for herself as being dedicated and efficient in her promises, often attempting to solve conflict without bloodshed, even if it meant beating someone with a sheathed sword. During her short time in the confines of Arx, Salena has kept to her former company of wild animals and a lone Shaman she has guarded in their travels from the North, keen to hitch her own name and fortune to the religious fanatic's sharp wit and captivating vision quest.
  's sharp wit and captivating vision quest.)
• Kalivan Greene  + (Born and raised in Arx, Kalivan never had …
  Born and raised in Arx, Kalivan never had the opportunity to meet his parents, his mother taking ill shortly after his birth, and the identity of his father unknown. Thankfully, he had his maternal grandfather Jerem Greene to take him in. For as long as anyone's bothered to remember, the Greene family have been apothecaries, physicians and healers sworn to House Thrax, respected for their quiet professionalism and discretion. Little Kalivan was more than happy to follow in the family trade, and the first sixteen years of his life was spent as his grandfather's apprentice, learning much under his excellent tutelage. Just shortly after his seventeenth birthday, though, the home/laboratory they shared was destroyed in a fire none could determine the cause of, but thankfully nobody was harmed in the blaze. Already in advanced years by the time he'd adopted Kalivan, he took the loss of his laboratory as an opportunity to retire to more gentler climes in the south. Kalivan, for his part, took this as his opportunity to see the world and learn, and set off to the north to try and glean something of their shamanic traditions. It's unclear whether or not that really panned out for him, but he did greatly expand his knowledge of herbs and plants while among the dark primordial forests. After about three years and a modest peasant fortune spent on his voyage, he returned home to Arx.
  nt on his voyage, he returned home to Arx.)
• Kamaria Mairelli  + (Born and raised in Brassfall to a successf …
  Born and raised in Brassfall to a successful mercantile family, she grew up learning the family trade. As a single child, it was devastation when at the age of 13 her parents were washed away in an accident that would have left her a penniless orphan til she came of age. That is, if she hadn't been something of a smooth-talking economically minded prodigy. Friends in high places petitioned for her emancipation and the inheritance of her family's business. It was a bit of a risk on their behalf, but it paid many dividends in the long run. Eventually, by the time she was out of her teens, she was even more successful than her family before her. By the time she was twenty-three she had chosen a husband that was equally as keen with his business sense and combined forces to produce one of the more successful mercantile companies the Lyceum has seen to date: the Mairelli Mercantile Company. By the time she was thirty, her husband was dead after he was a little overcome with greed and overreached a deal. He was barely recognizable in the state he was found in. Again alone, she carried on. Most recently, she's become good business partners with the new Marquessa-Consort, Lycoris Hawkmour. After several successful business transactions the two became penpals until Lycoris became convinced that she needed Kamaria in Arx to help her manage her House's affairs.
  rx to help her manage her House's affairs.)
• Symanthe Morgan  + (Born and raised in Farhaven as the oldest …
  Born and raised in Farhaven as the oldest of three girls, Symanthe endured a bit of a rocky childhood with a stubborn sort of passion to systematically attach herself to a future she preferred. For her, she found joy and steadiness in the mathematical creativity of baking; people, after all, will always need bread. A visit by a contingent from House Valardin was what first brought a 20-year-old Hardwicke Morgan into her life, and she swiftly identified the gruff, awkward young man as another aspect of her preferred future. She was the one to start sending letters down to Sanctum after he returned (addressed quite seriously with openings like "Dear cutie butt" and "Dear serious face") and, since his duty belonged to Sanctum and hers belonged to wherever she chose to put it, she was the one to pick up her life and relocate after deciding she was going to keep him. That he managed to land such a beautiful, vibrant sort of bride was the source of much consternation to his colleagues. Their contrasting personalities proved to be a good complementary balance for both of them. They had their first child when Hardwicke was 22 and Symanthe 20, and they had another six before she declared quite firmly that she was done now that she had a brood large enough to harass her unsociable husband for the rest of his life. Their marriage has not been without strife, but it's several decades later with all their children (mostly) grown and they haven't quit yet.
  (mostly) grown and they haven't quit yet.)
• Amari Keaton  + (Born and raised in Oakhaven, Amari is the …
  Born and raised in Oakhaven, Amari is the only daughter of Lady Sallah and Lord Morden Keaton, one of the preeminent legal minds of the Oathlands. She was a sharp and exceptionally smart girl, and well suited, in Morden's opinion, to follow in his footsteps. He was certain that where her brothers had already failed him, she wouldn't. She was his last, best hope of another lawyer of his caliber in the family and she was lavished with attention and flattered accordingly. Unfortunately, with the attention came the smothering weight of his expectations and the strictness of his tutelage. They took their toll. While a warm and affable girl by nature, her stress would bubble over and pour out as intensely angry and often tearful outbursts. Needless to say, she had a somewhat lonely childhood as a result. Most of her days, in fact, were spent shut away in the library studying. There her only relief from the tedium and loneliness was found in vivid daydreams of the many elaborate and wonderful futures she would someday enjoy. Then a day before her seventeenth birthday she simply vanished without a word. Despite the Huntsmen searching near and far, and for months afterwards, not a trace of her was found. So when she unexpectedly returned two years later, it wasn't strictly to fanfare. After the initial relief, dismay and suspicion set in. Where she had been, and who she had been with she wouldn't divulge. Infuriated by her stubborn refusal to reveal in detail what had happened, and outraged by what little she did admit, her father decided and she strongly agreed, that she should join her cousins in Arx. She's resided in the city ever since. With exposure to new people and new ideas, her interests have grown far beyond the practice of law alone to include an eclectic variety of pursuits. Her once mercurial manner and stormy moods too, have improved with maturity and the broadening of her horizons. She's taken on various roles of importance and responsibility, and pursued a knighthood but the lingering sense of mystery about her still hasn't dimished. What is clear, is that the tempestuous girl who disappeared, returned a lady keen to see her dreams come true, by wit, charm or pointy end of the sword.
  by wit, charm or pointy end of the sword.)
• Amari Redire  + (Born and raised in Oakhaven, Amari is the …
  Born and raised in Oakhaven, Amari is the only daughter of Lady Sallah and Lord Morden Keaton, one of the preeminent legal minds of the Oathlands. She was a sharp and exceptionally smart girl, and well suited, in Morden's opinion, to follow in his footsteps. He was certain that where her brothers had already failed him, she wouldn't. She was his last, best hope of another lawyer of his caliber in the family and she was lavished with attention and flattered accordingly. Unfortunately, with the attention came the smothering weight of his expectations and the strictness of his tutelage. They took their toll. While a warm and affable girl by nature, her stress would bubble over and pour out as intensely angry and often tearful outbursts. Needless to say, she had a somewhat lonely childhood as a result. Most of her days, in fact, were spent shut away in the library studying. There her only relief from the tedium and loneliness was found in vivid daydreams of the many elaborate and wonderful futures she would someday enjoy. Then a day before her seventeenth birthday she simply vanished without a word. Despite the Huntsmen searching near and far, and for months afterwards, not a trace of her was found. So when she unexpectedly returned two years later, it wasn't strictly to fanfare. After the initial relief, dismay and suspicion set in. Where she had been, and who she had been with she wouldn't divulge. Infuriated by her stubborn refusal to reveal in detail what had happened, and outraged by what little she did admit, her father decided and she strongly agreed, that she should join her cousins in Arx. She's resided in the city ever since. With exposure to new people and new ideas, her interests have grown far beyond the practice of law alone to include an eclectic variety of pursuits. Her once mercurial manner and stormy moods too, have improved with maturity and the broadening of her horizons. She's taken on various roles of importance and responsibility, and pursued a knighthood but the lingering sense of mystery about her still hasn't dimished. What is clear, is that the tempestuous girl who disappeared, returned a lady keen to see her dreams come true, by wit, charm or pointy end of the sword.
  by wit, charm or pointy end of the sword.)
• Caera Tortorici  + (Born and raised in a small Shav'arvani tow …
  Born and raised in a small Shav'arvani town controlled by the Totorcini, Caera was raised by her father who was a farmer of an orchard of trees. At a young age, she went to live with her aunt who taught her herbalist ways and the way of poisons, should the family ever be threatened. As she grew older, she went to apprentice with a local apothicary, leaning to make items to heal as well. As he retired, she took up moving to the city, honing her skills with a group of thieves. They showed her the ropes in trade for her helping with healing or...poison, as need would have it. Now she has spent the last year learning how to attend to ladies of stature and is applying to attend to Celeste
  ature and is applying to attend to Celeste)
• Alfio Donatti  + (Born and raised in the city of Southport, …
  Born and raised in the city of Southport, Alfio was the middle child of three siblings. His mother passed away after giving birth to his youngest brother, and his father was pretty much absent --spending most of what he earned on drinks. Practically an orphan, just like his siblings, he did whatever he could to survive.
  ings, he did whatever he could to survive.)
• Shiara Aldmeris  + (Born and raised in the distant north, some …
  Born and raised in the distant north, somewhere in that blasted desert of ice, Shiara grew up. Her life wasn't an easy one compared to her southern counterparts but the Abandoned House, Aldmeris, was one of the principal ones in it's region. Which afforded her luxury and comfort of a sorts, their holding a large one that was a very well known hub of business among the Abandoned. Like most of her family the history of the Compact and their culture were part of her studies, one must always know the enemy as they say. This was when she first began to fall in love Arx and the idea of someday traveling there grew on her until it became a nagging urge. Many of which she acted on compulsively in the past, this was no different. Without seeking permission from her father and mother she stole away from the city under the guise of a performer, conveniently timed with a troupe coming to Aldmer Castle in hopes of winning the favor of such illustrious and well connected people. Thankfully, she wasn't sold out by her companions who quickly realized how much danger they were in for helping her escape, as it were. After traveling with them for several months the scion of Aldmeris started southward. The journey was grueling and she doesn't talk about the things she had to do to get where she is today but it wasn't very long after her arrival to the city of Arx that her family contacted her and informed her of their displeasure but because she is beloved and spoiled, she was named their official Ambassador and told to help make new alliances, trade and military pacts with any of the Southern Houses of the Compact. Which she continues to work towards, quite successfully, to this day. Even though this ultimately means that she is trying to bring her family into the fold of the Compact during a time in which it is spoken against so adamantly.
  n which it is spoken against so adamantly.)
• Shiara Stahlben  + (Born and raised in the distant north, some …
  Born and raised in the distant north, somewhere in that blasted desert of ice, Shiara grew up. Her life wasn't an easy one compared to her southern counterparts but the Abandoned House, Aldmeris, was one of the principal ones in it's region. Which afforded her luxury and comfort of a sorts, their holding a large one that was a very well known hub of business among the Abandoned. Like most of her family the history of the Compact and their culture were part of her studies, one must always know the enemy as they say. This was when she first began to fall in love Arx and the idea of someday traveling there grew on her until it became a nagging urge. Many of which she acted on compulsively in the past, this was no different. Without seeking permission from her father and mother she stole away from the city under the guise of a performer, conveniently timed with a troupe coming to Aldmer Castle in hopes of winning the favor of such illustrious and well connected people. Thankfully, she wasn't sold out by her companions who quickly realized how much danger they were in for helping her escape, as it were. After traveling with them for several months the scion of Aldmeris started southward. The journey was grueling and she doesn't talk about the things she had to do to get where she is today but it wasn't very long after her arrival to the city of Arx that her family contacted her and informed her of their displeasure but because she is beloved and spoiled, she was named their official Ambassador and told to help make new alliances, trade and military pacts with any of the Southern Houses of the Compact. Which she continues to work towards, quite successfully, to this day. Even though this ultimately means that she is trying to bring her family into the fold of the Compact during a time in which it is spoken against so adamantly.
  n which it is spoken against so adamantly.)
• Rohyn Oak  + (Born and raised on the fringes of civilize …
  Born and raised on the fringes of civilized lands, Rohyn has run wild through the woods since as long as she can recall. A doting father and a loving mother raised their only child with bow in hand and wind at her back. Rohyn's parents gifted her with a strong sense of direction, an earthy, deep-rooted sense of right and wrong, and the pride and confidence to fend for herself - no matter the circumstance. This last proved invaluable, as in time Rohyn's father suffered a hunting injury and died shortly after. Her mother fell into a languid depression afterward, and when she too passed away, Rohyn took her trusty bow and set off to find a new home far away from the lone cabin and all of its memories where she had lived all her life.
  memories where she had lived all her life.)
• Andreas Donatti  + (Born and raised on the streets of Southpor …
  Born and raised on the streets of Southport, Andreas was the eldest of three siblings. His mother passed away with the birth of his youngest brother Alexio, leaving his father to raise him and his siblings. Work on the docks of Southport hardly paid well, and the silver that it did pay didn't go far when the first thing on his father's priority list was booze, and not his children. Andreas and his siblings pretty much raised themselves, for better or worse. With no authority figure at home, it is little surprise that the three children ended up on the streets. Andreas, personally, developed a certain knack for the discreet transport and exchange of goods through witty and stealthy means. As he got more skilled in the fishy business, and what he transported became more valuable, he turned into carrying rather than simply for survival. What began as a means for sustenance, soon turned into a means of helping himself and his siblings attain the things that had evaded them for so much of their lives. The lad was around his mid-twenties when he managed to procure a ship of his own somewhere in the Lyceum. The nature of the vessel's acquisition remains a mystery to many; but, one thing is for sure, Andreas' face was nowhere to be found for some time in the south. Some say it was mere coincidence, while others insist it was not; but, not long after he left, rumors of a merchant having been swindled off his boat would have been running around the many markets of the hundred cities. Of course, there was no way to prove Andreas was the culprit. Not when the affected merchant had been allegedly drinking his fill on the night of the unfortunate event, and both Alexio and his other sibling were convincingly playing as the eldest Donatti's alibi. He spent his days supposedly transporting goods and people, legally, from one place to the other as a common carrier for various parties. It is said it was through these means that he made his small fortune - although, some dare argue the small fortune might be a bit bigger than it should. Nonetheless, now that his youngest sibling has successfully established his Import & Exports business in the shining city of Arx, Andreas has been said to have docked his ship in the Capital's port. Word on the street says he has been hired by Alexio as a private carrier of goods.
  d by Alexio as a private carrier of goods.)
• Alexio Donatti  + (Born and raised on the streets of Southpor …
  Born and raised on the streets of Southport, Alexio was the youngest of three siblings. His mother passed with his birth, leaving his father to raise him and his siblings. Work on the docks of Southport hardly paid well, and the silver that it did pay didn't go far when the first thing on his father's priority list was booze, and not his children. Alexio and his siblings pretty much raised themselves, for better or worse. With no authority figure at home, it is little surprise that the three children ended up on the streets. Alexio himself developed a certain knack for the acquisition of things he did not have through particularly sticky fingers. As he got more skilled with his thievery, and what he sold became more valuable, he turned to selling the things that he nicked, rather than simply for survival. What started as a means of survival, soon turned into a means of helping himself and his siblings attain the things that had evaded them for so much of their lives. As he came of age, he learned to use the skills that he had learned on the streets in matters of more legitimate trade, and soon discovered that he had a knack as a businessman. As such, he has made the journey to Arx where he hopes to expand upon his business opportunities and see what he can make of himself.
  ities and see what he can make of himself.)
• Meranthe Grayhope  + (Born and reared in the Lower Boroughs of A …
  Born and reared in the Lower Boroughs of Arx, Meranthe was raised at the Murder of Crows, just another Grayhope brat in and around the tavern. While she adored her family and felt most comfortable when surrounded by them, she also felt a deep longing to see the world beyond the Lowers and the walls of Arx. When she reached adulthood, Meranthe struck out on her own, taking up a position with a trading caravan. In this capacity, she saw the length and breadth of the Compact, from the Mourning Isles to the mountains of the North to the Hundred Cities of the Lyceum. Having worked as a guard and a sutler, she collected her fair share of stories and scars. Eventually, with her earnings, she became a merchant in her own right and over time began leading caravans of her own. There are few who know the roads and the wilds of the Compact like she does and she is very well paid for her extensive knowledge. Skilled with people as well as money, Meranthe been blessed by Gild with success in her ventures and found her own sort of happiness. But nothing lasts forever and the call of home was too loud to ignore, particularly after learning of the fall of Bastion and the complete destruction of Artshall. She was traveling the Great Road back to Arx when news reached her of the disappearance of the Grayhope family head, leaving a void with few with the right temperament to fill. So, she steps back into Arx, older and wiser and with a determination to protect her family from the threats of the world and, hopefully, see them prosper as well.
  and, hopefully, see them prosper as well.)
• Willow Nightgold  + (Born around harvest time, Willow is the yo …
  Born around harvest time, Willow is the youngest child in her immediate family, and the only girl among them. Between three extremely protective older brothers and her tendency to distance herself from others, she has never had a great deal of friends. Or, not human friends at the least. She got tattooed with a bloody crescent moon around her coming of age, the ink well hid beneath her clothes and serving more than anything as a symbol of dedication to the spirits and her ancestors. She was taughr by an older aunt to walk a Shaman's path, though she tends to trade in paintings.
  h, though she tends to trade in paintings.)
• Haseo Ekraiven  + (Born as a thrall to his thrall father and …
  Born as a thrall to his thrall father and mother, may she rest in peace. He grew up having to work hard for his meals and anything supplied to him by those of county of Stormchaser. His father fought long and hard to buy their family name out of poverty though sadly before their father could get everything he passed on from illness. This only drove his determination even more and he bought his freedom. And thanks to his vigorous training as a sellsword he set out and proved himself to and include the Champions guild. Now he has set out to Arx to find a certain tailor he grew up with having heard rumor they were here. And wishes to set a name for himself in the Champion circuit.
  name for himself in the Champion circuit.)
• Xyander Grimhall  + (Born as a thrall, Xander grew up without k …
  Born as a thrall, Xander grew up without knowing much of his family as they were split up when he was fairly young. He started out as a Scholar's assistant in Grihem's Point to Duke Eugine Grimhall and thus, had a fairly typical traditional experience. Which means most of the time, it wasn't entirely a pleasant life. When thralldom began to crumble, however, his future became more and more uncertain until he found himself adrift in a new life. Traveling to Arx, he has embarked on his new journey and seeks proper employment with House Grimhall there as the winds of change continue to blow.
  e as the winds of change continue to blow.)
• Leana Folan  + (Born as the fourth of five children and se …
  Born as the fourth of five children and second daughter of armorsmith Carraghean Ironclad and her mother Alessa Folan who was a tailor. She never behaved as a normal girl even at a young age. She always wanted to work with her father and brothers on the anvils of their shop but her mother tried to teach her to behave as a woman should. She always kept to herself and found joy in the sound of iron smashing against a plate of metal whatever it was. She had learned the most basic forms of forging metals at the age of 13 and found herself already at 17 able to work a piece of metal perfectly within minutes into a sturdy piece of a great armor which she can forge in a mere two days provided with the right equipment. She had learned it all from her father while the education from her mother, unfortunately, didnt bear the same fruit. She never really had many friends except for her siblings and their two pet dogs. When her father died of mysterious causes while delivering a very expensive armor to a noble she started investigating his death only to be drawn into something far too dark and dangerous. She fled her home leaving behind her family and went to the capital where she was greeted by harsh reality. Now almost a year later she owns a small shop working again on metals and providing people with tools, weapons and armor as they order from her.
  weapons and armor as they order from her.)
• Orazio Saik  + (Born as the second son, with three more si …
  Born as the second son, with three more siblings to follow, no one within the Saik family anticipated that summer plague that ripped through the deep south of the Lyceum and left many and more dead. Including Orazio's parents, and the twins, who were just too young and died as infants. With his eldest brother now the distraught heir, and his surviving younger brother studying within Arx, Orazio had a decision to make. The details are murky, but shortly after his family tragedy, Orazio appeared within Southport where he quickly joined the ranks of the military. Little of this time can be said, except that he served dutifully and with all the expected valour of any Southport citizen. As Orazio matured, he insinuated himself within influential circles. With a sharp, politically adroit mind, it came as a surprise to those who knew him when Orazio swore vows to become a priest of Sentinel. While serving with an even handed, tempered zeal, the political realm remained one in which Orazio 'occasionally dabbled.' Then there came the Tor-Southport debacle. Orazio, then Seraph of Southport, was disgusted by Lucien, but remained within the city of Southport for the war's duration. Shortly afterwards, he received the call to come to Arx, though he continued to maintain ties with the Malvicis, although such ties have become increasingly strained. After a period of several years spent as the Archlector of the Sentinel, Orazio was offered the position of Legate of Concepts, shortly before the Silent War. When Dominus Fawkuhl was accused of murdering the Archduchess of the Lyceum, Esera, Orazio worked with then-Archscholar Aldwin to call a rare Convocation of the Faith. The Convocation led to the stepping down of Dominus Fawkuhl, and the appointment of Aldwin as Dominus. Since then, Orazio has made a deeply controversial choice to revise the Fourth Law of Limerance to remove the prohibitions against non-Abyssal magic, if any such thing existed, and made several high-profile condemnations against various peers, while working to keep the more conservative and more liberal factions of the Church pointed in vaguely the same direction.
  rch pointed in vaguely the same direction.)
• Fredrik Redtyde  + (Born as the third son to the Redtyde March …
  Born as the third son to the Redtyde March, Fredrik was in no place to inherit any lands or real sense of political power, but he was blessed with a rather keen sense of observation and an attention to detail. And so he was often given the House's paperwork and left to tend to their businesses from as early an age as 16, a task he relished and embraced. And in time, he even married, a minor lady from a barony under Tyde, and they had two children, Garon and Alrik. Unfortunately, all of that was lost when the Tydes rose up in rebellion, washed away with the coming of thraxian banners. The Redtydes refused to abandon their liege lords, and were among the first houses wiped away in the Thraxian march to the Tydes. Fredrik managed to escape, but his wife and children, visiting the Tyde House at the time, were killed along with the rest once it was broken open and laid waste. Fleeing into hiding, Fredrik carried with him a bastard child of Tyde, along with a commoner child, and set to work disguising himself, posing as a merchant and eventually securing his own boat. He did all he could, never abandoning the Tyde cause and raising the children as his own. But many years have passed, and Tyde is reborn! After much caution and deliberation, Fredrik has come forth to meet with Margot, who he has been in contact with for many months, hoping to taie his place under the protection of House Tyde, and give his adopted children the home they deserve. And to serve. Always to serve.
  ey deserve. And to serve. Always to serve.)
• Ember Redleaf  + (Born as the twin sister to Marina Redleaf, …
  Born as the twin sister to Marina Redleaf, Ember Redreef endured the prejudice that left her and her sister treated like property by her father. She fought long and hard against the cage she was forced into, both in the social and martial worlds, spending a great deal of time outside the Mourning Isles learning the sword before finally returning after Thrax changed the law to allow women to hold lands and titles. Despite her small stature, Ember quickly grew a reputation as a frightening woman to spar against, having gravely wounded men who underestimated her without even a hint of remorse. Eventually, she and her sister found themselves as sailors on a ship, where they got their taste for adventure, working as an unparalleled team.
  dventure, working as an unparalleled team.)
• Cyril Melaeris  + (Born as the youngest of three brothers, Cy …
  Born as the youngest of three brothers, Cyril grew up in the seat of House Melaeris. He was not content to stay there, having a deep love for the sea and sailing. Many of his early teenage years were spent learning the ins and outs of various types of ships or tagging along on raiding parties. The fighting itself was never a draw but the journey was. That changed, when he reached his early twenties. An accident during a storm left Cyril crippled, with family worried that the Lord might die. While confined to bed, Cyril's mother fretted and fussed over him--she wasn't a Thrax. She didn't buy Tears in our Wake not at Our Wake. So each day she would come to him and leave books, tell him of courtly gossip, and of politics. She'd been a lawyer, a Lycene woman and a Mirrormask. As a child, she'd taught him to question everything--to think before acting. And though at first he resisted, seeing the law and economics as woman's work, she taught Cyril to adore the social arena. His father and brothers quietly disapproved. More traditionalist Thrax openly gossiped. Cyril ignored them, carrying on to become both a lawyer and later a member of various trading organizations. His love for the ocean never quite abated but the Lord has stead-fastly refused to board a ship except in cases of dire need. It was a bit of a shock in fact, when he arrived to Arx in order to support his niece.
  ived to Arx in order to support his niece.)
• Etienne Telmar  + (Born as third child to a branch family of …
  Born as third child to a branch family of the honorable and historic Oathlands House of Telmar, Lord Etienne Telmar was very well aware that no matter how clever or competent he was (and from an early age, he possessed a great measure of both these qualities), his most likely outcome would be as trusted adviser or Minister for his more prestigious relatives. It was not enough, and so the young Telmar convinced his parents to support his induction into the Faith at the quite young age of eighteen. There, he discovered that his intelligence and familiarity with the movement of money gave him a gift for uncovering when the Faith's funds had been embezzled, stolen, or otherwise misappropriated. After a few years of instruction and training, he found himself often assigned to suspicious parishes across the Valardin lands, where he would plot out the flow of funds and discover any misuse of them. In the process, this ended up restoring a significant amount of charitable funds to their rightful recipients. This made Etienne quite popular in some quarters (particularly those priests who valued the charitable works of the Faith, and the recipients thereof), which he parlayed into increasing roles of responsibility. But not a Seraph's position, as that would have chained him to a single parish, rather than allowing him to expand his knowledge of how the Faith was run. At least, until the Seraph of the Telmarch was discovered to be in conspiracy with the White Stewards, a secret cult which had a major part in starting the Silent War. This, and the accusations of collusion with the traitor Telmar in command of Arx's Iron Guard, could have drowned Etienne's career in suspicion and shared guilt. Instead, the priest thrived through his clear outrage and immediate request to help the Faith purge itself of other Steward collaborators. In the aftermath, he was appointed Seraph of the Telmarch, and it was thought that he would serve in that post for years before seeking another promotion. However, after the resignation of Archlector Caras, Etienne quietly called in a number of political markers in the Faith to make it clear that not only was he interested in the post of Archlector of Gild, but that he was clearly the best candidate for the job. No one is quite sure if this is simply an ambitious priest taking advantage of a shift in leadership of the Faith, or if he has a personal goal which requires him being in the heart of the Faith.
  uires him being in the heart of the Faith.)
• Nedios Darkstorm  + (Born at a young age, Nedios grew up on the streets. He's smaller than others so his way of survival was trading information. Be it cheating at games, blackmailing a noble, or just to embarrass someone, Nedios likes collecting and using secrets of others.)
• Ora Stahlben  + (Born between Oddmun and Braith, Ora's life …
  Born between Oddmun and Braith, Ora's life was pretty laid out for her. She grew up as a lady of the Compact, knowing that one day she'd be married to someone that could benefit her House and her family. She embraced this sense of duty, and found joy in the arts-- things which she could never be left without, no matter which corner of the Compact she found herself in. The charming young woman never could have predicted the Silent War, however, and how it would change her life. Brand swept down, and a prodigal tribe to the North bent the knee to Sanna. She was married to the Chieftain's brother, Timur, as a way to cement the alliance, and Lady Ora Sanna became Lady Ora Stahlben. She liked Timur, for what little she knew him. He was a warrior, and spent most of the next three years fighting against Brand and his Bringers of Silence. Near the end of the war, Timur disappeared. No trace of the man could be found, not even a body. Though her husband was presumed dead, Ora decided to stay with her new family and continue to be a link between the two Houses.
  tinue to be a link between the two Houses.)
• Alexandre Wyrmguard  + (Born between his siblings Reiker and Sorre …
  Born between his siblings Reiker and Sorrel, Alexandre proved to be difficult to predict as to what kind of a man he would become. Displaying admirable intellect from a young age, medicine proved to be an early passion for the young Wyrmguard. It would not be altogether uncommon to find him in the company of Mercies, with questions aplenty about something he'd read, or about their current work. Such curiosity in the youth was encouraged, and might have led him down the path of becoming a Mercy himself, had it not been for a fateful day. Fateful, for on that day the young Alexandre witnessed an injustice. He was still young, and had not yet learned the harsher truths of the world, when he beheld such. An older boy, more man than child in physique, the reverse in spirit, bullying a younger and far smaller girl. Alexandre didn't ask what it was about, and certainly didn't ignore it. Instead, he threw himself at the boy, intent on fighting the boy off. Predictably, it didn't go well. Alexandre had yet to receive any martial training, and the boy had the advantage of size, strength and experience. Still, Alexandre never yielded once throughout his trashing, getting back up every time he was slammed down. It might have continued, and might have caused permanent harm, had someone not saved him. Dame Anna Redwood, Godsworn Knight of Solace, quickly broke up the fight, and once Alexandre had said who he was, escorted him back to his family. On the way there, she faced the usual deluge of questions the child usually kept for Mercies, about who she was, what she did, and interrogations about the Knights of Solace that his education had not yet covered. Her answers found a receptive mind, and by the time they reached his parents, he had asked her to teach him, and made the same request to his parents when they arrived, a tad worried to see their son in such a state. Dame Anna could not stay, of course, but she made a promise. She would return when she could and, if Alexandre's parents allowed it and he was still interested, would teach the young Lord and, when he was older, would take him on as a squire. Children being what they are, perhaps those involved expected Alexandre to discard this momentary distraction with time and return upon what truly interested him. Yet the opposite occured. He was still interested in medicine, devoted much of his time to it still in fact, but it was now equalled to more martial pursuits. Even as his understanding of the healing arts grew, so did his understanding of riding, the sword, and matters of war and leadership. His education was completed by Dame Anna's visits, when, as promised, she would further not only his understanding, but the virtues of the Pantheon, nurturing the compassion and kindness she saw in him, as well as the protective nature that had made her notice him. Time passed, and eventually, the time came for the second part of Dame Anna's promise to be fulfilled. Alexandre left his family and Blancbier at the age of fourteen, to serve as the Dame's squire. From her, he learned not only the duties and demands of knighthood, but also the dangers that awaited the those traveling upon the Compact's roads and paths, dangers the Knights of Solace were sworn to guard against. It was a harsher life than the one he had lived thus far, yet Alexandre only seemed to thrive, the fire within him brightening. It was during that period of time that he would visit the Cedar Vale most often, whenever Dame Anna would visit her Redwood family. These were pleasant times, and even to this day, Alexandre cherishes their memory. Yet all good things must come to an end. Eventually, Alexandre became a man, and it was time for the Lord, no longer a squire but not yet a knight either, to return home. There, he spent the next few years serving his family and Blancbier, his concern for the people seeing him involved in not only charity, but tangible efforts to improve their lot as well. Indeed, he'd often be seen joining the city patrols on their rounds within the fortress city and beyond. He also joined the Knights of Solace at the time as a disciple, though he did not see Dame Anna Redwood again, not till the Silent War begun. At once, Alexandre volunteered to join the Compact's efforts against Brand, and actively participated within the war, one among countless others fighting back against the evil that had spilled forth from the North, and threatened the Compact itself. Refugees came in drove, often sick and wounded, requiring Mercies and the Knights of Solace to care for them. It was during one such event that Alexandre and others, including Dame Anna, were tasked with sheparding such refugees to a local haven, where Mercies awaited with supplies. Unfortunately, the enemy was aware, and sent a force far outmatching the Knights of Solace and the local garrison to destroy the haven and take its supplies. Shav forces struck at dawn, and though the defenders rallied to face the attackers, they were outmatched. One after the other, Alexandre saw his brothers and sisters in arms fall, the burden to protect weighting heavier on the survivors with every death. For they knew those within would find no mercy. The enemy had come to kill, the only thing they would take with them were the supplies. Evening came, and of the local forces, few remained. The Knights had been reduced to two, Dame Anna and Alexandre. Hope was bleak, even as the enemy pulled back, giving defenders some respite. Not for long. The next clash saw Dame Anne Redwood die, slain by an archer with too much luck or skill. The last of the defenders were forced to push back into the local shrine of Lagoma, the only stone building large enough to contain the refugees and the Mercies that still stood. Alexandre felt despair then, for the first time in his life. He knew he would die. Knew there was no hope, no way out. Thoughts of flight crossed his mind, desperate plans to escape. And as the dread threatened to overwhelm him... He saw them. Families clinging to each other, parents comforting their children though they knew what awaited. And the Mercies, still taking care of their charges, even now holding true to their oaths. Moved by the light of Gild and the warmth of Laghoma, by the selfless sacrifice of those dead and those that yet lived, Alexandre strode forth, and met the enemy's full might in battle. He spoke to his fellow defenders with such conviction, that when he told them to hold the line, they did. Against the Abandonned intent on the destruction of those they were charged to protect, they held the line. Against the horrors of Silence, they held the line. One after the other, they fell. But they did so holding the line. Yet it was enough. When reinforcements came to the rescue, they found Alexandre wounded and battered, his sword broken, more dead than alive. But still holding the line. Alexandre collapsed soon after being told the area was safe, and for a time, it was uncertain whether he'd live or not. Yet he recovered, sent back to Blancbier after the war's end. It was there he was knighted for his actions, though he did not remain for long. New threats arose, banners raised to face the Gyre, a Holy War proclaimed against those that would bring an end to not only the Compact, but the Faith itself. He joined others from the Oathlands to defend Stormwall, surviving the costly victory as far too few did. Now, he has come to Arx. With a light and fire brighter rather than dimmed, he comes to serve House Wyrmguard, the Faith and the whole of the Compact. Not as the sword to pierce the black hearts of demons, but as a shield. To protect all beneath the Compact's aegis, and hold the line.
  th the Compact's aegis, and hold the line.)
• Alexandre Redtyde  + (Born between his siblings Reiker and Sorre …
  Born between his siblings Reiker and Sorrel, Alexandre proved to be difficult to predict as to what kind of a man he would become. Displaying admirable intellect from a young age, medicine proved to be an early passion for the young Wyrmguard. It would not be altogether uncommon to find him in the company of Mercies, with questions aplenty about something he'd read, or about their current work. Such curiosity in the youth was encouraged, and might have led him down the path of becoming a Mercy himself, had it not been for a fateful day. Fateful, for on that day the young Alexandre witnessed an injustice. He was still young, and had not yet learned the harsher truths of the world, when he beheld such. An older boy, more man than child in physique, the reverse in spirit, bullying a younger and far smaller girl. Alexandre didn't ask what it was about, and certainly didn't ignore it. Instead, he threw himself at the boy, intent on fighting the boy off. Predictably, it didn't go well. Alexandre had yet to receive any martial training, and the boy had the advantage of size, strength and experience. Still, Alexandre never yielded once throughout his trashing, getting back up every time he was slammed down. It might have continued, and might have caused permanent harm, had someone not saved him. Dame Anna Redwood, Godsworn Knight of Solace, quickly broke up the fight, and once Alexandre had said who he was, escorted him back to his family. On the way there, she faced the usual deluge of questions the child usually kept for Mercies, about who she was, what she did, and interrogations about the Knights of Solace that his education had not yet covered. Her answers found a receptive mind, and by the time they reached his parents, he had asked her to teach him, and made the same request to his parents when they arrived, a tad worried to see their son in such a state. Dame Anna could not stay, of course, but she made a promise. She would return when she could and, if Alexandre's parents allowed it and he was still interested, would teach the young Lord and, when he was older, would take him on as a squire. Children being what they are, perhaps those involved expected Alexandre to discard this momentary distraction with time and return upon what truly interested him. Yet the opposite occured. He was still interested in medicine, devoted much of his time to it still in fact, but it was now equalled to more martial pursuits. Even as his understanding of the healing arts grew, so did his understanding of riding, the sword, and matters of war and leadership. His education was completed by Dame Anna's visits, when, as promised, she would further not only his understanding, but the virtues of the Pantheon, nurturing the compassion and kindness she saw in him, as well as the protective nature that had made her notice him. Time passed, and eventually, the time came for the second part of Dame Anna's promise to be fulfilled. Alexandre left his family and Blancbier at the age of fourteen, to serve as the Dame's squire. From her, he learned not only the duties and demands of knighthood, but also the dangers that awaited the those traveling upon the Compact's roads and paths, dangers the Knights of Solace were sworn to guard against. It was a harsher life than the one he had lived thus far, yet Alexandre only seemed to thrive, the fire within him brightening. It was during that period of time that he would visit the Cedar Vale most often, whenever Dame Anna would visit her Redwood family. These were pleasant times, and even to this day, Alexandre cherishes their memory. Yet all good things must come to an end. Eventually, Alexandre became a man, and it was time for the Lord, no longer a squire but not yet a knight either, to return home. There, he spent the next few years serving his family and Blancbier, his concern for the people seeing him involved in not only charity, but tangible efforts to improve their lot as well. Indeed, he'd often be seen joining the city patrols on their rounds within the fortress city and beyond. He also joined the Knights of Solace at the time as a disciple, though he did not see Dame Anna Redwood again, not till the Silent War begun. At once, Alexandre volunteered to join the Compact's efforts against Brand, and actively participated within the war, one among countless others fighting back against the evil that had spilled forth from the North, and threatened the Compact itself. Refugees came in drove, often sick and wounded, requiring Mercies and the Knights of Solace to care for them. It was during one such event that Alexandre and others, including Dame Anna, were tasked with sheparding such refugees to a local haven, where Mercies awaited with supplies. Unfortunately, the enemy was aware, and sent a force far outmatching the Knights of Solace and the local garrison to destroy the haven and take its supplies. Shav forces struck at dawn, and though the defenders rallied to face the attackers, they were outmatched. One after the other, Alexandre saw his brothers and sisters in arms fall, the burden to protect weighting heavier on the survivors with every death. For they knew those within would find no mercy. The enemy had come to kill, the only thing they would take with them were the supplies. Evening came, and of the local forces, few remained. The Knights had been reduced to two, Dame Anna and Alexandre. Hope was bleak, even as the enemy pulled back, giving defenders some respite. Not for long. The next clash saw Dame Anne Redwood die, slain by an archer with too much luck or skill. The last of the defenders were forced to push back into the local shrine of Lagoma, the only stone building large enough to contain the refugees and the Mercies that still stood. Alexandre felt despair then, for the first time in his life. He knew he would die. Knew there was no hope, no way out. Thoughts of flight crossed his mind, desperate plans to escape. And as the dread threatened to overwhelm him... He saw them. Families clinging to each other, parents comforting their children though they knew what awaited. And the Mercies, still taking care of their charges, even now holding true to their oaths. Moved by the light of Gild and the warmth of Laghoma, by the selfless sacrifice of those dead and those that yet lived, Alexandre strode forth, and met the enemy's full might in battle. He spoke to his fellow defenders with such conviction, that when he told them to hold the line, they did. Against the Abandonned intent on the destruction of those they were charged to protect, they held the line. Against the horrors of Silence, they held the line. One after the other, they fell. But they did so holding the line. Yet it was enough. When reinforcements came to the rescue, they found Alexandre wounded and battered, his sword broken, more dead than alive. But still holding the line. Alexandre collapsed soon after being told the area was safe, and for a time, it was uncertain whether he'd live or not. Yet he recovered, sent back to Blancbier after the war's end. It was there he was knighted for his actions, though he did not remain for long. New threats arose, banners raised to face the Gyre, a Holy War proclaimed against those that would bring an end to not only the Compact, but the Faith itself. He joined others from the Oathlands to defend Stormwall, surviving the costly victory as far too few did. Now, he has come to Arx. With a light and fire brighter rather than dimmed, he comes to serve House Wyrmguard, the Faith and the whole of the Compact. Not as the sword to pierce the black hearts of demons, but as a shield. To protect all beneath the Compact's aegis, and hold the line.
  th the Compact's aegis, and hold the line.)
• Trueth Redreef  + (Born during a late summer, early autumn th …
  Born during a late summer, early autumn thunderstorm, Trueth Melaeris was eerily calm when she was born - calm enough to startle the midwife into giving her quite a smack to get her crying. Even her cries were quiet still - but the girl thrived, content to stay near the bosom and bask in love. As she grew older, her family would wish for that quiet time. It was soon enough she was asking "Why?" constantly. "Why is the sky blue? Why does the wind blow? What makes the roses red? Why does the ocean get bigger near the sand sometimes? Why do the servants polish the silver?" Amused and exasperated, tutors were hired. Trueth had a love for knowledge and nature that was not easily contested. It helped that she was smart, too - smart enough to keep her tutors on their toes, when they weren't scolding her for her constant daydreaming. She watched her younger sister Llewella rise to have more responsibility, while she was merely challenged by her tutors. After a long, painful introduction to societal responsibilities for nobles, a marriage was in talks. Then another marriage. And another... until one took. At age 22, Trueth was wed to Roland Redreef, Tiberius Redreef's eldest son. For a variety of reasons, Trueth herself believed the marriage would never work, not only due to a large age gap but due to the fact that she was no Redreef. She preferred gardening, alchemy, and well - not owning thralls, nor did she have any fighting bones in her body, whereas Roland was a decorated soldier with a long battle record. Unexpectedly, love bloomed between them. Roland was kind and gentle with Trueth, accepting her strange, femining ways and putting up with her unending questions. They had an interesting dynamic and Trueth seemed to smooth some of Roland's rough edges. She learned to love the Redreef family, even if she did not completely agree with all of their ideals - until tragedy struck. Just as she was due to give birth to her first child, Roland was struck down in battle. Three years of wedded bliss, barely even time to get to know one another truly - but they did - and Trueth loved him. Trueth, in her grief, locked her and her son away for three long years, more or less. But now she has returned to the City with the little one to split her time between the Melaeris household and the Redreef family, aiming to reconnect with her families and raise her son to be his own person, do things in his own time, and perhaps find another happy ending for herself.
  aps find another happy ending for herself.)
• Magnus Stahlben  + (Born far from the Compact's borders, withi …
  Born far from the Compact's borders, within the last mountain of the North, Magnus' life promised to be no different from his father's, and his own father's. The son of the Chief of the Stahlben, he was expected to keep the watch over the Everwinter, pay the proper respects to the ancestors as Bonesinger, that they might entreat with the Firstborn, and ensure the Stahlben and the people that depended on them prospered and thrived. He exhibited early abilities as not only a leader, but one motivated by the need to look out for others, rather than the power and thrill of leading others. These qualities, along with a voracious curiosity and intelligence, only grew further as he aged and became a man. Duties and responsabilities grew, but he never shied away from them, meeting each challenge head-on, determined and diligent. Failures and successes were met the same way, with a clear and open mind to the rich lessons taught by either. Yet he would only be truly tested shortly after his father's death and his becoming Chief. When the Undying and their servants spilled forth from the Everwinter. Stahlben warriors and allies were gathered, and faced the oncoming tide of destruction with the strength and valour that had seen them triumph for centuries of conflict. They lost. Badly. Forced back to their mountain stronghold, besieged by a foe whose hunger for more death seemed unending, Magnus led the desperate defense to save his people from extinction. The fortress didn't fall, the enemy moving down south instead, to the relief, and dread, of the defenders. They had survived, yes. But Magnus was all too aware of the losses of his people and allies, and their failure at containing the Everwinter's monsters. In the months that followed the Compact's victory over Brand, another foe rose to attack the weakened Stahlben. Now facing either destruction or slavery for his people, Magnus gathered his advisors, and a third option was taken. To bend the knee to the Compact, become one with the victorious kingdom of the Silent War, and adapt to the new world only now awakening from a long darkness. The Stahlben stood unchanging for centuries, yet it is now Magnus' task to guide them during the first and difficult years of new loyalties and culture suddenly before them. He has been tested before and shall be again. But he will succeed. For his people. For the Firstborn. For the Compact.
  ple. For the Firstborn. For the Compact.)
• Elizabetha Grayson  + (Born for royalty, Elizabetha grew up in a …
  Born for royalty, Elizabetha grew up in a dream as reality. She found it terribly romantic to be a princess, a damsel, her favorite archetype in the stories she adored throughout childhood. This sparked an early romanticism, which she first expressed on canvas and stage. Innately an actress, she took to performance around age 5, when a Grayson dinner party was witness to an impromptu song and dance atop the table. Art, nevertheless, she names as her true calling. Her work won a plethora of contests, competitions, submissions throughout her years, her growth evinced in each flux of style. Eventually, her touch was lent to halls of marble and gilt. In adolescence, she maintained all that life and vibrancy, with a newfound curiosity that rooted itself in something beyond the typical: the study of alchemy. Her interest budded from a yearning to push the boundaries of painting, but progressed into a deep love of knowledge and academia. Her pursuits led her to experimentations, often safe enough, though she did pick up a few of the less acceptable practices-tattoo artistry a result. Moreover, she adapts the science into her art, the product either disastrous or ingenious. As she matured, Eliza began to note the world around her, the potential it held for her. A budding hunger for exploration drew her from her gardens and halls, to the place where all converge: the capital. Arx is her canvas and her stage, hers the next mark to sweep its expanse.
  , hers the next mark to sweep its expanse.)
• Jacque Valardin  + (Born four years before Sasha, Jacque was a …
  Born four years before Sasha, Jacque was a boy who dreamed of being a chronicler, a writer, an explorer. He fancied himself becoming a wise man that would teach children the right ways of the Oathlands. The young Jacque set out to try and become this sort of scholar, only to find out that he fell short of it. What he did not fall short of in his education was the physical training. He took to sword and physical exercise tirelessly, impressing his tutors in this regard, while disappointing in every other. He was adequate as a warrior but he was no genius, no smart man; average at best, he struggled with those more complex instructions, before neglecting them outright, in frustration he would opt for the path of the warrior, instead. One that he did not choose for himself, but the only one that was viable for him to walk. This became even more so when Sasha was afflicted with her illness. Out of worry, and protective brotherly concern, he became reliable with a blade, a man of strong build and nimble agility, but also tireless endurance. When his sister went to Arx, he lingered in the Oathlands and traveled the fields, assisting the subjects of his House in a number of different undertakings, all voluntary. He would escort merchants and travelers in the roads and assist the enforcers of the High Lord's law against those that would violate it. However, beneath that steely warrior's exterior was a growing sense of frustration with his life. And it is because of this that he traveled to Arx, in order to fulfill his life's dream without neglecting what led him down the path of martial prowess. He will be a scholar, aye, but he is a warrior, and will be one until he can no longer lift a sword on his own.
  he can no longer lift a sword on his own.)
• Jacque Lyonesse  + (Born four years before Sasha, Jacque was a …
  Born four years before Sasha, Jacque was a boy who dreamed of being a chronicler, a writer, an explorer. He fancied himself becoming a wise man that would teach children the right ways of the Oathlands. The young Jacque set out to try and become this sort of scholar, only to find out that he fell short of it. What he did not fall short of in his education was the physical training. He took to sword and physical exercise tirelessly, impressing his tutors in this regard, while disappointing in every other. He was adequate as a warrior but he was no genius, no smart man; average at best, he struggled with those more complex instructions, before neglecting them outright, in frustration he would opt for the path of the warrior, instead. One that he did not choose for himself, but the only one that was viable for him to walk. This became even more so when Sasha was afflicted with her illness. Out of worry, and protective brotherly concern, he became reliable with a blade, a man of strong build and nimble agility, but also tireless endurance. When his sister went to Arx, he lingered in the Oathlands and traveled the fields, assisting the subjects of his House in a number of different undertakings, all voluntary. He would escort merchants and travelers in the roads and assist the enforcers of the High Lord's law against those that would violate it. However, beneath that steely warrior's exterior was a growing sense of frustration with his life. And it is because of this that he traveled to Arx, in order to fulfill his life's dream without neglecting what led him down the path of martial prowess. He will be a scholar, aye, but he is a warrior, and will be one until he can no longer lift a sword on his own.
  he can no longer lift a sword on his own.)
• Alrigo Donatti  + (Born further out from the main Donatti fam …
  Born further out from the main Donatti family, Alrigo had instilled in him by mother and father the need to always do better. The family worked the docks of Ischia for years and, working around the rougher parts, Alrigo quickly learned how to survive on his feet and use that honey-dipped tongue to escape signs of trouble. After Alexio began building his business in Caina, Alrigo aided the contacts needed in Ischia to start. Here he found some success, a little bit, but soon he knew to make even more money he needed to start growing the business in Arx itself. Here he worked from the bottom and gradually started to build up, learning his tailoring trade, to a point which has caught some attention for just how this man from the docks of Ischia has ended up wearing fine clothes and looking like a cock among hens. Obviously, from Alrigo, he tells the brilliant tale about how the family that was too poor to even eat on some days - ended up being who he is today. A few hearts open up to that, melting in his hands. The story of how this lad from Ischia, who never even once picked up scissors, was able to craft fine jackets for the commoners and once even a Baron. Eyebrows raised. What did he know about fashion? Using that honey-dipped tongue of this, Aligro has since discovered ways to talk himself out of most problems in life, flipping the issue on its head, and pointing at someone else as being the reason it all went wrong. This helped him build up contacts that gave him the ability to open up coffers of silver to fund the family's business - Donatti Imports & Exports.
  business - Donatti Imports & Exports.)
• Arielle Rivera  + (Born in Arx to a pair of high class mercha …
  Born in Arx to a pair of high class merchants Arielle Rivera was the third born of four children. The Rivera family was common but decently wealthy and catered to nobility with their goods. Arielle grew up with a good education in addition to learning how to sew and tailor garments from her mother. The young girl found herself desiring to make a name for herself in the fashion world. To start trends that would be seen throughout the Compact and be worn at all the best parties. However she found limiting herself to cloth was confining. Arielle had skilled hands and was often put in charge of the more delicate work with embroidery and weaving. One day while helping her mother style her hair for a social event she got an idea. From that idea sprang a new career for Arielle. No longer was she simply a tailor, now she was a stylist. She studied the art of cutting and styling hair. Of applying cosmetics in a fashion that flattered ones face and matched ones attire. And finally at almost twenty years old she began searching for a shop where she could ply her trade officially.
  where she could ply her trade officially.)
• Braxas Songweaver  + (Born in Arx twenty years ago, Braxas came …
  Born in Arx twenty years ago, Braxas came into the world with no surname. His parents whoever they were did not want him so he was left at an orphanage in the worst part of town. Braxas was a dark child, handsome but frightening to the other children because of his dark moods and anger at the world. He started singing when he was five, just letting his emotions out via song. Some of the other boys tried to bully him over the singing but Braxas would not back down. When he was thirteen he ran away from the orphanage to join a troupe of traveling bards. Before he left Tomas his childhood tormentor gave him the scar that remains on his face today. He got away and has since learned how to dodge and defend himself a bit. He stayed with the troupe of bards as they traveled across the land. GOing from city to city Braxas learned how to survive and entertain on the streets. Seven years passed and after Braxas turned twenty he decided to try his luck back home in Arx once again.
  try his luck back home in Arx once again.)
• Murdoch Malespero  + (Born in Caith to a struggingly shipping fa …
  Born in Caith to a struggingly shipping family. Murdoch's elder sister (Lady Beatrice Malespero's mother) inherited. He spent his youth working the docks and caravans by day and learning the books by night, expecting to command one of his family's ships one day. But, just before coming of age, the family fortunes sank leaving a single ship remaining. His sister took command and he was asked to branch out to find new work. After a series of odd jobs and many tough months, he landed a job at a gambling establishment and discovered he had a rare head for numbers. After a few years scrimping and some personnel changes at the establishment, he was put in charge of the ledgers. It was during this time, now in his mid-20's that he met the woman he would eventually marry. Together, they had a daughter and a son, and some of his investments began to bear fruit. Things looked to be going well, and he was even able to help his sister's shipping business stay afloat through a tough spot, but...one day he came home to find tradgey. His wife and children were slain in an apparent robbery. No evidence of the killers was found. He fell into a black period and for years cultivated associates from the less savory contacts he'd met at the gambling house. His sister and her family raised Beatrice during this era, and he managed to teach her a thing or two but eventually was asked that he stay away, lest he taint their business with his shady dealings. Some years later, he learned that Beatrice prospered and was even ennobled by the Argento family. His network of contacts by that point rumored that Pravus would move against them, and for the first time he found he needed to truly pay attention to high houses. Beatrice was sentenced to prison for a year, and he was surprised to learn that she not only survived it, but thrived and landed on her feet as a new member of House Malespero. Curious how she had managed it, and feeling the loss of his own daughter, he visited.
  the loss of his own daughter, he visited.)
• Adriana Fieldstone  + (Born in Elmhurst to a farming family, Adri …
  Born in Elmhurst to a farming family, Adriana soon found herself seeking employment in the only tavern in town. She much prefered hauling barrels and trays over farming out in the warm Oathland sun. She found she had a natural talent for people, being able to get them what they needed rather than what they wanted. Adri found she loved to flirt with the handsome farmer's lads (and the not so handsome ones if they could charm her) and enjoyed making their time in the tavern that much more enjoyable for her cheerful temperment and charm. After her uncle's farm was burned to the ground and her cousin Jonathan went off to the big city, she decided she would follow him. Her dream was to one day own her own tavern and she would never be able to make that kind of money at home. Not only did she want her own tavern, she wanted her own cow too. Fresh milk and butter and cheese, and then get bread freshly baked every morning, and make sure her guests had everything they needed to be comfortable. Clean beds without any bugs in them, even. She wants -everyone- to get along and be happy and healthy.
  ne- to get along and be happy and healthy.)
• Danvir Ravenseye  + (Born in January 12, to Robert Ravenseye, D …
  Born in January 12, to Robert Ravenseye, Danvir Ravenseye leads an enjoyable life that has always mixed the wild life with the life of a noble. Perhaps it is his fiery red hair, but Danvir Ravenseye showed that he could hold his ground with his favorite weapon: an axe. As he grew he started studying the Family trade: sailing. With this he also had to study economics, the art of war and of course how to be a succesful diplomat. But that was not the only thing Danvir was studying. He also started studies in the occult and he firmly believes in Shamanism, so much so that he does tend to pay his respects to the spirts. And perhaps that has aided him in becoming a better man as he aged. When he hit his eighteen years, he told his loving dad that it was time for him to put the Raveseye name on the nautical maps. And with the blessing of the spirits and his father, he took of to the Compact, intent on increasing his knowledge as well as serving the Northern noble houses better. Some are surprised when this fiery red headed young man speaks about his love for the sea, so much that others think he is from Thrax. That could not be further from the truth. He is a Ravenseye, through and through.
  h. He is a Ravenseye, through and through.)
• Maren Lir  + (Born in Maelstrom to Prince Drake Thrax, M …
  Born in Maelstrom to Prince Drake Thrax, Maren Thrax was the youngest of the five children and the only girl; by virtue of those things she did not feature prominently in the public eye during childhood. The shadows of her brothers were tall, especially her eldest brother Donrai, but she still found ways to thrive amongst them. The household and the family were by no means indulgent, but even predatory sea serpents are sometimes moved by beauty and wit, and it was clear that she would grow into a formidable amount of both. Her parents perished when she was quite young, though the new High Lord was very dutiful in seeing to her education. Perhaps it was hoped she would join other Thraxian notables in a sharp legal and logical mind; but it was something warmer that stirred her even in Maelstrom's environment of stoic and imposing chill. She took to almost any instrument that was placed in her hands with startling ease, even some of the gruffest and most standoffish lords and ladies seemed to at least tolerate and even enjoy her presence. When she was sixteen, she was sent to Arx to serve as a lady in waiting in the royal court, as well as to train in the art of being a courtier from Whisper House. She blossomed there, forming close friendships with many of the other young ladies from Houses throughout the Compact in similar service, and seeking out further training in dance and music. By the time she was in her late teens, she was considered to be one of the beauties of her generation, particularly talented in the arts, enjoying the social whirl of Arx in full. But she was ever mindful of her place and her duty, and when she was twenty she obediently returned to Maelstrom at Donrai's request, enjoying getting reacquainted with the brothers that she'd corresponded regularly with but had seldom seen more than a couple of times a year during her time in Arx, and knowing that within a year she was likely to be introduced to whatever match Donrai decided would serve the interests of House Thrax the best. She continued in her studies of the arts, setting many sailors' and area folklore to music, capturing oral tales into written word and illustration, and even devising performances based on them, though they were often given to others to perform. As a birthday present, Donrai granted her permission to travel to House Blackshore's holdings and the great library there to gather more fodder for her works, though once she returned she was to meet her match. Her travel there was uneventful, and she set off for home by all accounts with many writings and sketches that surely would have fueled her artistic endeavors for many years. But she never returned. A terrible storm kicked up, and the ship she was on as well as one escort was lost, the remaining escort arriving badly battered in Darkwater Watch. After weeks of searching, there was a small amount of wreckage located--and months later more things started to wash up on shore. She was presumed lost at sea. In truth, she almost was. She was one of a very few survivors of the wreck that drifted for weeks; starving, thirsty, sunburnt, eventually all but her succumbing painfully slowly to exposure or their injuries. She was likely only days away from death herself, when a passing foreign ship came across her, one of the high ranking military officers aboard persuaded by his second to overrule the captain and insisting that they examine the strange wreckage. The second, Zixin Lir, was in the smaller boat that approached and drew her from the wreckage, and took her aboard before they continued their journey home. Her life was saved by the healer aboard the ship, but it took many weeks for her to recover, and she stayed with the local magistrate until they could figure out what to do with this foreigner plucked from the sea, as well as find someone who spoke Arvani. There was one constant, however; Zixin visited frequently, helped her learn the language while she taught him hers. Months after her arrival he brought her to a teahouse with musicians--she delighted them by being able to play some of the ones similar to ones she was familiar with, and singing without musical accompaniment some tales from home. After that each time they met, there was yet another new unfolding of art. He would recite poetry to her, for the beauty of the rhythm and sounds for her to enjoy long before she could understand it fully; take her to new places in the area and keep her company as she painted. They were drawn to one another, but their friendship was one that slowly unfolded, growing deeper roots before they allowed other things to blossom. For seven years, even as she built a life in this new place, she ever gave up on trying to find a way back home. Her acclaim as a performer and artist opened doors to talk to influential people, but seldom was she given a clear answer on if it was possible. Finally a visiting Imperial official told her in no uncertain terms that there would be no return, she kept her head high and hid her devastated heart. Weijin wasn't home. Instead, Zixin asked her to consider making a home with him. Nearly ten years after she was first plucked from the sea, she did just that, choosing to set aside her hopes to remain as she once was, a princess of Thrax, to marry for love and hope, and by tradition yield that title to do so. And then she moved forward and onward, using all the gifts of her upbringing, and the resolve and determination she'd only honed in Weijin to truly build a life with him. They welcomed their daughter Zyanya a few years after, when she at last closed the chapter on thinking she would ever see Arvum again. Over the next thirty years their household grew with many students (both hers and his), friendships, grand successes and failures, more happiness than heartache. Watching and guiding their daughter to blossom into a respected artist in her own right, whispering tales of the family and lands that her mother had traveled from, with Maren incorporating as much tradition and teachings as she could into Zyanya's life. The events of the wider world did not really reach her, especially in their quiet area of Weijin. Though the pace of Maren and Zixin's life slowed, she didn't even realize it was the beginning of his twilight years until her beloved warrior-poet died in her arms after a very brief illness. Devastated, she once again summoned her strength to be strong for her daughter now too. It was after his death that she discovered that Zixin hadn't forgotten her love of the Mourning Isles and those she'd left behind, and intended to honor the Arvani heritage of his child as well. Decades of dedicated and decorated service to Weijin and Jadairal had given him some influence on the layers of bureaucracy of the empire, and unbeknownst to her he'd been pushing on that quite heavily behind the scenes, to grant his family a favor upon his passing. He knew that she wouldn't leave his side, and that he was unlikely to be able to leave Jadairal. His final gift to her, after his passing, was a chance for an audience that might allow her to see Arvani shores again. Once more, the current in her life shifted, this time drawing her back to the home she never thought she would see again, bringing with her her greatest treasure and brightest hope, to give her daughter a chance to experience her heritage in full.
  chance to experience her heritage in full.)
• Apollo Oakwood  + (Born in Oakhaven, to parents who were both …
  Born in Oakhaven, to parents who were both Trackers, Apollo should have had an ideal childhood. But fate was less than kind to him, and at the tender age of six, while traveling between Lyon's Redoubt and Keaton Keep, he and his family were ambushed by a group of bandits looking to thin the packs of hunters after them. Apollo's parents were killed in the conflict and the boy was taken, the plan to rear him as a bandit, the irony found to be delicious. Weeks passed, but eventually another pack of Trackers discovered the location of the bandit's hideout and cleared the lot of them out. When Apollo was found, one of the huntsmen recognized the boy and took him home to Keaton Keep where the child was raised in the court. As an adult, he is fiercely loyal to the Keaton family. Eschewing the path of his parents, he learned the special art of tanning and leathercraft Oakhaven has become known for. The secrets of its manufacture are now his. When Kael left Oakhaven to come to Arx, he tapped his best leatherworker to come with him to see about making a name for themselves in Arx.
  about making a name for themselves in Arx.)
• Xandrine Morgan  + (Born in Sanctum to a groundskeeper of the …
  Born in Sanctum to a groundskeeper of the (mostly) respectable Morgan family and a Lycene duelist slicing her way into the Oathlands, Xandrine grew up proud of her family's reputation for honor and air of danger, both. Only fitting, no, for a descendant of the very first Champion? After the Tragedy, like many survivors, felt compelled to become a knight. She was far too young to take up arms, but that didn't stop her. Finding a Knight of the Laurent family who would squire her, she worked determinedly. Also fitting for the descendant of the very first etc, she displayed a natural talent for fighting, and quickly developed a rivalry with another young squire and aspiring Champion. Competition fueled her on towards excellence, developing a reputation - in the Laurent lands, at least. Oaths taken, duels fought (and sometimes won), Xandrine was sent on another mission: Go to Arx, escorting some precious cargo.
  Go to Arx, escorting some precious cargo.)
• Jarel Redrain  + (Born in September 15, Jarel Redrain has al …
  Born in September 15, Jarel Redrain has always been interested in being a dedicated warrior for his people. And thus that has been the majority of his focus as he grew older. Many would claim that Jarel was definitely born to be one, probably in no small regard due to his strength and dedication. Growing up he would be around warriors whether they were nobles or otherwise. That wasn't a distinction he was worried about. So he learned all he could from his peers, becoming a ferocious combatant. More so with the bastard sword he seemed to favor. It can be stated that he is everything a Northerner should be up and including how barbaric he can be in a fight. After years of training and becoming an adept warrior, Jared Redrain has been living in Arx for some time, where he does what is best to serve his people, as well as support his other family members.
  well as support his other family members.)
• Nabok Stormson  + (Born in a lumberers cottage in the wilds o …
  Born in a lumberers cottage in the wilds outside Farhaven, Nabok was born as the first signs of spring came to the lands. From a young age he was taught to cut wood, like his father and grandfather before him, and to accept his lot in life. Conditions were tough, but Nabok had a happy childhood. Food was gathered, hunted and fishd from the surrounding woods, and his father, a large, fiery man aptly named Storm, owned two sheep that provided them with wool. He even got a little sister, Eria. Every winter, he would accompany his mother and father to the outskirts of Farhaven to trade kindlewood and timber for other supplies. It was on a day such as this, as Nabok approched his 13th birthday, that his life abruptly changed. The winter had been an escpecially cold one, and business had been good, so his father was haggling for a new sheep. Hot-headed as he was, the haggling escalated into a fight, and Storm, with a slip of the fist, punched a guard dead. Nabok and his mother left Farhaven without Storm that day. Just a few weeks later, his mother became ill and feverish. He turned to the spirits of the forest for guidance the night his mother died. Young Nabok, was suddendly the sole provider of a young sister. He did not give up though, and the siblings continued the cycle of life that they had known, growing more and more distanced from civilization with each passing summer. Life was not finished with him, though. The autumn of his 24th year, as he returned from a bountiful hunt, he came back to the remains of a smoking cottage, pillaged and looted by passing raiders. Eria had stayed in the cottage while he was hunting, and her burnt corpse was still warm when he arrived. He vowed that day to leave the forest, to seek revenge over those who had murdered his sister and destroyed their way of life, and set out to the center of the kingdom for look for them.
  e center of the kingdom for look for them.)
• Cade none  + (Born in a small village, Cade's mother die …
  Born in a small village, Cade's mother died a few days after his birth. He was left to be raised by his stern and unaffectionate father who was a former mercenary. Even as a boy, Cade's father instilled into him the hard work and discipline that he had learned from his travels. Having not known any gentle touch and constantly receiving his father's ire, Cade grew to resent his father. When his father died of sickness, Cade packed whatever belongings he could carry and left the village, knowing that there was nothing left for him there. He traveled from one village to the next, doing some odd jobs when he could. From then on he wandered aimlessly, only doing what he deemed necessary to get him through the day.
  emed necessary to get him through the day.)
• Genevieve Waldenwyn  + (Born in an unremarkable farming village to …
  Born in an unremarkable farming village to an unremarkable family, Genevieve always wanted more from life. Although she could appreciate the wholesome routines of her rural community for what they were, she nonetheless found them tedious and uninspiring -- a never-ending cycle of ploughing fields, harvesting crops and foraging for food, occasionally broken up by a rustic festival or a wagon ride to the market in the nearest town. The only activity that really gave her some pleasure and made her feel alive was training in the village militia, but even then she found herself wanting for more discipline and more advanced tutelage than the local watchmen could provide. At the age of 18, Genevieve left her home village and set out on her own path. She would see sights beyond the fields and pastures with a sword on her belt and a bow slung across her back, seeking adventure and coin.
  ross her back, seeking adventure and coin.)
• Cerdensulathara Ferrier  + (Born in area called Rivermuth, far south o …
  Born in area called Rivermuth, far south of Pridehall, Cerdensulathara was one among a litter of children. Her father was a butcher and a warrior, her mother a tanner. For five long and tiresome years, they lived a simple existence. The worst of their troubles were occasional raids, and the strife caused by Cerden's peculiar fits. Rumors held her to be plagued by evil spirits, and she was subject to many, many attempts to cure her. When the neighboring tribe invaded fully, her mother managed to escape with her and two of her siblings into the woods. Traveling northeast into the woods, they were able to assimilate into another group, but it wasn't long before they her mother was presented with a choice to leave with the disabled young girl, or the tribe would sell her off. Unwilling to put her other two living children under such stress, she simply abandoned Cerden in the woods. It was a miracle of some kind that she survived to the age of thirteen. And despite the harsh realities of living in the wild, there was a peace to the daily struggle. Her fits lessened, she learned how to hunt, what to eat and what not to, (through great trial and error), and was quite happy in her life. Unfortunately, fighting between two villages drove more people into her neck of the woods, and eventually she was captured by Abandoned warriors. Who knows where should would be now if she had not been saved by the Knights of Solace. It was a short trip to the city of Arx. She swore her allegiance to the Crown, and was placed in the care of an aloof horse trader, a cousin to the very Knight who rescued her, and his wife, a well to do poet and seamstress, both childless and grateful for an opportunity to care for and teach someone less fortunate. She flourished in the Upper Boroughs, and it was a good time for the young woman. She was taught the wonders of reading and numbers, which she excelled at. She was given simple chores, and taught prayers, which she excelled at. She discovered the many different libraries and temples, and spent the majority of her time there when not helping out at home. Before she left to strike out on her own, she made a bit of silver tutoring the younger children of her adopted mother's social circle, possessing a talent for making complicated subjects simpler. Using her modest income, she's rented a small place in the upper boroughs, and few who ever met her would realize she's a Prodigal. She plans on becoming an explorer, writing books on obscure knowledge and history, and becoming a renowned scholar. Perhaps one day she can own a place of her own, with a bookcase of titles she's written herself detailing grand adventurers, treatises on lost lore and profound essays on rare phenomena.
  ore and profound essays on rare phenomena.)
• Avak Zadarra  + (Born in arx in a poor neighborhood, avak z …
  Born in arx in a poor neighborhood, avak zadarra lived hard. His parents were soldiers, and good ones, but they used all their money on equipment. At a young age, avak knew he wanted to be like them. He applied as soon as he could, and after being accepted, he was tested. He was found to be weak, but good with a sword, so they took him anyway. Now he fights as a soldier, even though he is weak.
  ghts as a soldier, even though he is weak.)
• Bron Aisling  + (Born in one of the smaller mountain villag …
  Born in one of the smaller mountain villages in the North, he was scooped up by an army recruiter shortly after reaching adulthood, his knowledge of the area along with his hunting and trail skills making him a useful skirmisher. A few small wars later, Sergeant at Arms Aisling left his Lord's service with a pension, some spoils and a desire to spend some time on his own for once. Going back to his village didn't seem quite right, not after all he had seen so after shipping home a totally non-blood-spattered care-package he vanished into the woods. Bored with his own company and perhaps missing the camaraderie of his unit, he has headed to the big city to see what that's like instead.
  big city to see what that's like instead.)
• Jarryck Buckwheat  + (Born in the Crownlands to nobody of import …
  Born in the Crownlands to nobody of importance, Jarryck was born a large baby. His parents were both farmers, and as Jarryck grew stronger and taller, he was made to work on the farm, something he was good at, since it was physical. He found the work tiresome, however, and was always fighting the other boys, when he could.
  ys fighting the other boys, when he could.)
• Cordelia Grimhall  + (Born in the Hall of the Grim, Cordelia und …
  Born in the Hall of the Grim, Cordelia understood at an early age two very important things. Firstly, she never subscribed to the strict and punishing patriarchal beliefs pervading most of the Mourning Isles. Secondly, if she was ever going to enjoy life, she would have to find entertainment on her own. Not so much comprehending as reacting to the expressions on her neglectful mother's face after a visit with the Duke, she strove to conduct little rebellions against authority. One day, she might dodge her tutors or ruin her clothes. Another day, she'd soap up the floors and secretly watch her elders trip. More guards were hired for the simple dual purposes of keeping an eye on Cordelia, and patrolling for childish traps. At first, she was just trying to gain attention, but her disobedience evolved into outright unshakable independence. After managing to convince a combat instructor to train her, a brother eventually goaded her into a duel, to once and for all prove the reason and superiority of traditional Thraxian values. Scarred and incensed by the loss, it only drove her further away. At just fifteen, she ran off to join a group of adventurers allegedly seeking fame and fortune. Buoyed by others with a similar perspective, she felt wonderfully liberated. The band of explorers journeyed from one end of the Compact to the other, hoping to find lost articles from before the Reckoning in all sorts of strange and enigmatic places. Ultimately, the Duke's men found her and returned her home, but she responded with the announcement that she would become a Champion. They retorted with a short list of likely betrothals, and so she was sent to the center of the Compact to meet her future husband.
  of the Compact to meet her future husband.)
• Vernan Culler  + (Born in the Lower Boroughs, Vernan was bor …
  Born in the Lower Boroughs, Vernan was born into the Culler family. His father was a Culler and the brother of Rencio. He grew up with Torian. His parents died in an unfortunate 'accident' and the Culler family took Vernan under their wing. He ended up showing a knack for survival and seamanship and he ended up on one of their ships. He was a natural. He ended up press ganged, so he couldn't return home as quickly as he wanted to. But he always knew who he was, and where his loyalties lie. He was drawn to the sea, but he was a Culler at heart. By his late teens, he was already adept at sailing and trade. He knew the ocean and he knew his competition. Around 20, he came across a young girl who he adopted into the family as his sister, stowing her away at various ports until she was old enough to learn the ropes. Meanwhile, he became more and more skilled at what he did. Recently, a death in the family has drawn him back to the Lower Boroughs. His skills have been put to use by the family's growing fleet. And that's where he met Acacia. Skeptical at first, he's grown to admire her. He is fiercely loyal to her, while at the same time occassionally challenging her sanity. He serves now (better at sea than on land) and seeks to show his adopted little sister how to be a true Culler.
  ted little sister how to be a true Culler.)
• Cedarav Grisni  + (Born in the Lycene city state of Tor, Ced' …
  Born in the Lycene city state of Tor, Ced's parents were Vesalius, a mason, and Robyn, a noted artist. It is from his mother that he first developed his love of anatomy, as he was often underfoot in the salons and portrait galleries - often, with models in the natural state, given Lycene tastes. He was always sharp as a child, and ever getting into problems, but usually able to think or talk his way out of them, and grew a decent artist in his own right, though he was far better at sketches and outlines than picture perfection. He, an only child, was offered a scholarship to the Tor Academy and excelled in many of his classes. He enrolled in the college of Alchemy, Medicine and Apothecary, though left quite adruptly in his last year of study. There was some question as to why he left so suddenly, but usually it is chalked up to his uncanny ability, that he simply had learned all he could there. He travelled first to Setarco, where he set up his shingle. Performing many operations in a rather short time period, he drew the attention of House Pravus, who offered him patronage and a bigger space than his less-than-desireable bit-rate clinic. Travelling with many of their family over the years, he has both cared for the members and employees of the Pravus household as well as made significant contributions to the field of anatomy, and his texts are starting to make their way into public light, although there are many who scoff at his methods and ideas.
  e many who scoff at his methods and ideas.)
• Kiral Unknown  + (Born in the Northlands, in Redrain lands, …
  Born in the Northlands, in Redrain lands, Kiral was abandoned at birth, or at least this is what the shaman that found him wrapped up in cloth in the middle of the woods assumed. This man was named Regor. Taking the event as a sign, due in part to a snake-like birthmark on the child's arm, the shaman took the child in and raised him as his own. Kiral grew up rather estranged from others, his surrogate father being a rather solitary and self-sufficient man. Kiral, of course, took after him and learned many skills from a young age such as how to start a fire, skin and gut some game, and of course, partake in the rituals of the Path of the Hunt. The boy came to know the wilds well, preferring them to the nearby towns which he would occassionally venture into with Regor. He began to commune with spirits as a young boy, something Regor took as a good omen up until the boy began to become consumed by episodes of rage and other strange fits during his communion. Regor did his best to teach Kiral how to control himself, and largely succeeded, though Kiral never succeeded in fully controlling the bouts of being consumed in the spirit of another, nor did he want to. In the first years of Kiral's adulthood, Regor passed away after a bad bout of dysentry, leaving the young man alone. At first, Kiral survived by hunting game and selling it to nearby towns. This lasted for some time until he was offered some mercenary work, which he found himself to have a knack for, and chose to pursue some more. The next few years of Kiral's life were spent wandering about from town to town, finding work where he could. He went hungry on some days in the beginning of his career, but eventually he garnered the skills required to make a living knocking heads together and hunting bands of brigands that harrassed towns and villages, putting his childhood affinity for hunting to good use. It was during these years that Kiral found a taste for battle, and for blood. Battle to him was another ritual, a part of the Hunt, and he would often relish in it and lose himself among the spirits on the battlefield. Years passed, and Kiral found himself wandering about the realm, mostly in the Northlands until he would eventually find himself in Arx, seeking work, coin and communion with the land's spirits.
  oin and communion with the land's spirits.)
• Armel Godsworn  + (Born in the city of Sanctum, Armel early o …
  Born in the city of Sanctum, Armel early on heard the clarion call of the Gods, often spending much time in the numerous chapels and temples of the city, and was utterly fascinated by how the priests could deliver such powerful messages with such few, strong words and convictions. With the messages of strength through mercy and protection through faith. When he was a young man of fourteen, his family decided to move to Arx, to hopefully continue his father's business as a carpenter, while his mother found side work as a gardener and servant. They were poor, but rich in spirit as folk. It was on the way that the family was accosted by desperate, hostile shavs, and both of his parents and his toddler sister were killed. Young Armel barely managed to escape with his life, and still bears the scars of that assault upon his face and spirit. From that moment on, as he wandered into Arx maimed and dispirited, he dedicated his life to that of the Godsworn. He became a Knight of Solace, traveling the roads of the Compact and protecting all travelers and pilgrims that wished to use them. It was not an easy life, and he has seen death in almost every form that can be offered by the hearts of men, and some that cannot, in any sane universe. For his years of service to Gild and to his Order, he was Knighted several years ago, and is now Sir Armel, such as it is, a title he received with a low, amused grunt and a simple 'I'll be'. He has now come to Arx, for the need for his Order here is great, and he wishes to be of service in whatever capacity he can, learning from those in the Order and those around, for veteran that he is? There is still much to learn in life. Always is.
  is still much to learn in life. Always is.)
• Alejandro Rossetti  + (Born in the city of Tor to a house servant …
  Born in the city of Tor to a house servant of House Fidante, Alejandro Rossetti was the first of three children born within three years of his parent's marriage. Precocious from a young age, he was considered by some to be a musical prodigy at the age of four. There was talk that the Whisper house in Arx was interested in him but by that time his path had already been laid out before him. By luck and hard work he was being raised with Lady Calista, the very young daughter of Duchess Giancinta Fidante. There was tragedy that saw Giancinta killed and Calista's brother Leo eventually becoming Duke but neither Alejandro nor Calista could well remember those times. He was raised and educated by the same tutors she was and the pair grew close. The boy's musical talent blossomed and he became well known in the gardens of Tor for practicing his guitar and trying out new songs on both the Duke's sister and anyone else that would come past. His relationship with Calista grew to one of constant companion and confidant. A convoluted series of events saw more change come to House Fidante when Alejandro had moved to Arx and Calista ascended to her brother's seat as ruler of Tor. The Duchess of Roses, they called her. Numerous were the songs he wrote in honor of his friend and now liege. Alejandro is content with his life of service and is honored with the role he plays for the young duchess, chief among them being friend.
  ng duchess, chief among them being friend.)
• Rowley Keaton  + (Born in the fall as the only child of Maxw …
  Born in the fall as the only child of Maxwell and Eugenia Keaton, young Lord Rowley was always a curious boy. Even from his earliest days a near endless stream of questions were typical fare from the young lord, often to the annoyance of his father who was a prominent and rising captain among the brigades of Keaton archers. Eventually as he became older, Rowley would learn to temper his natural curiosity to avoid the ire of his father, though his hunger for information and understanding was hardly quenched. When his lessons began, Rowley took to his studies like a fish to water. Everything, that is... other than the training surrounding swordplay, archery, or anything else that his father thought that he should be good at. Oftentimes Rowley would shirk his lessons when it came time for him to practice with the rest of the younger children, waiting for his chance to sneak away to watch the crafters at work as they plied metal to their will or brought their ideas to life upon canvas or carving them of wood and stone. No amount of whippings seemed to be able to cure the boy of his obsessions. So his life went for his childhood, ever shouldering the burden of being his father's greatest disappointment. He learned the art of working metal and painting in secret from a few friendly disciples of Jayus. Almost constantly he could be found tinkering with this and that. Such things brought Rowley joy. Enough so that when his parents began talks of marriage and upholding his duty to the Keaton family, Rowley decided that such a life was not enough for him. He did what he had to in order to make known his desire to join with the Faith, something that his father could not openly oppose no matter how much it might sting to lose his only child. And so he found a home where his passions were no longer shunned or held as an ever present disappointment. Where he could finally carry on his work in peace.
  could finally carry on his work in peace.)
• Canaan Savantis  + (Born in the lower boroughs, that is what C …
  Born in the lower boroughs, that is what Canaan spent a majority of his life. His father passed due to illness at an age he was too young to really recall, raised by his mother in majority. Too trusting at a young age he had an incident that left him somewhat untrusting despite his mother's insistence that people, as a whole, were good. It was a nice sentiment but not exactly easy to believe. His inquisitive nature brought him into brushing with the unsavory side of law led to some unfortunate outcomes and the wagging finger of his mother. In adulthood he married for a number of years before divorce came about and left him a bit weary (and quite late in the game) of further romantic pursuits, It was not long after he lost his mother to natural causes. Still.his curious nature often lead him down figurative rabbit-holes simply because not knowing the answer could become a persistent itch in the back of his head until at least attempting to look into those things with due caution toward things one generally shouldn't pry into. This natural desire to know and the irritation of lingering unknowns has lent his naturally developed skills toward helping out others when the price is right, even if it's as simple as finding proof of infidelity.
  as simple as finding proof of infidelity.)
• Snow Foxpaw  + (Born in the north, Snow was born in the mo …
  Born in the north, Snow was born in the mountains to a roaming tribe of hunters and gatherers who clung heavily to the old ways for generations after the compact was established. Though by the time he was five years old most of his tribe of people were dwindled away, from death, war and disease. He found most of his time as a child was spent on the chores or being alone to walk through the woods. And it was there, that he found his kindredness with the land around him, finding everything to be special in a way to him. This was improved by the elders of his tribe and soon he studied to be an herbalist, and healer, though when another shav tribe made a raid on their lands they destroyed everything leaving a young Snow to flee down into the valleys and hiding places. It was then that The spirits of the mountain he called home hid him, he claims, a blizzard rising up and blanketing the ground with ice though the day he insists had been clear. Since then he had communed and studied until He stumbled into a camp of Redrain soldiers , and in exchange for assistance in healing he was given food and a place to rest. From there he was brought back, and in exchange for lodging and work he was to swear fealty to Redrain and be accepted into the compact.
  Redrain and be accepted into the compact.)
• Aedric Blackshore  + (Born in the shadow of Cornelius and Oswald …
  Born in the shadow of Cornelius and Oswald, Aedric developed an immediate aversion to court politics and family diplomacy. Opting instead to follow in his bloodline's rich history of mercantilism and exploration, he spent most of his childhood pouring over textbooks, joining vassals and fishmongers on their expeditions to sea, and memorizing naval trade routes. The older he grew, the less time he spent ashore -- missing even the marriages of his brothers and births of his nieces and nephews. Rather than utilize the resources granted to him by noble privilege, he worked tirelessly to establish commercial and personal relationships throughout Arvum.
  d personal relationships throughout Arvum.)
• Lasha Khozheer  + (Born in the southern states, Lasha was a m …
  Born in the southern states, Lasha was a member of the prodigal tribes, drawn in and brought under the fealty of House Pravus in their expansion and establishment of a great house. Formerly considered an abandoned, he swore fealty to the house instead of being subjugated by force. Still, his clan was known for trade, and lesser known activities such as smuggling rare goods across the ocean. Through the years he worked on growing his fleet, before heading in to land seeking employment where he could walk the edges of lawful society, though those criminal elements continued to be exploited, even after he made himself captain of first one ship, then two. By the time his fleet had grown to a reputable size, he took heavy losses, during a large storm, three of his vessels sank with the remainder being rendered near unusable. Now he works on rebuilding and establishing himself as a shipping magnate through Arx, running his company with a ruthless efficiency and with dominance that proceeds him. His reputation known simply for his hot temper, raucous behavior and tenacity that few captains are known for.
  tenacity that few captains are known for.)
• Cora Ulbran  + (Born in the tougher parts of the world, in …
  Born in the tougher parts of the world, in the Lower Boroughs, the daughter of a thief and her man, she grew up swift fingered and able to defend herself. She was often found tagging along with her partner in crime, Raymesin. Eventually, her parents had their life of crime catch up with them and had to skip town, leaving Cora to depend on her own skills and her friends.
  depend on her own skills and her friends.)
• Amaranth Pravus  + (Born into House Pravus among a line so dis …
  Born into House Pravus among a line so distant you can almost see them from the shoreline if you squint, Amaranth has enjoyed all of the privileges of her name and none of the responsibilities or duties. To say that she was a wild child is putting it mildly, with her noble name sheltering her from the worst consequences of her behavior. As fate would have it, her untamable nature lead her to the curious habit of taming and training wild or foreign creatures. She gathers them like some noblewomen gather jewelry, and gifts them away just as easily.
  welry, and gifts them away just as easily.)
• Violet Marjawn  + (Born into a Halfshav village west of White …
  Born into a Halfshav village west of Whitehold at the forest's edge, Violet spent much of her early childhood as a hunters apprentic. A mother, a father, and four brothers, the family did well living off the land and selling to the leatherworkers. There would be the occasional skirmish with the Abandoned who had their own town nearby, but Halfshav forces usually kept them in their place and drove them off if they got too near. Eventually though, it wasn't enough. A warband from the village had gotten tired of the constant warfare, and attacked the small village outright. It was a massacre, with the Halfshav army coming too late to protect them. By the time they arrived, all save for Violet and her young brother had been killed, despite the hunters taking their share of lives from the barbarian assault. Only by running into the woods and firing from cover did they manage that. The Halfshav force stayed to protect and fortify, and meanwhile, hired a force of Crimson Blades camping nearby to aid in the assault on the Abandoned and destroy them in retaliation. Being within riding distance easily enough, the half archer, half heavy infantry force marched on the Abandoned with the Halfshav forces... including Violet. By the time the battle was done, there were few survivors of the abandoned town and those scattered to the wind. If she had been stronger, more skilled she might have been able to keep the rest of the family alive. Having witnessed firsthand how good the Crimson Blades were, she swore herself to them on the spot, having already proved her worth in battle. Both to protect her brother, and to find a new purpose in life. Two years passed, and it hadn't taken long for her drive and commitment to take her from a private in the scout Companies, to a the upper tiers of officers. With Briar's education seen too she was able to pour herself even more into her work. When he left for the North to train as a Shaman, that only drove her to work harder. The idea of being a protector and him having a safe place to come back to was always foremost in her mind. Through the Silent War she proved her worth and uncaring eye for danger and the enemy. Battles and contracts under her belt the massacre of her company, Ruby Company, with her as the sole survivor put a fire in her gut. In less than a year she has gone from Lieutenant she rocketed to Colonel. Quickly she came to be Lord Tobias Telmar's right hand. So it was no surprise that when he disappeared he left the Crimson Blades and their command in her hands. During all this her own personal life was ablaze with a marriage to Thorley Sandreef that lasted but a days before his abrupt flight and negation of their bond. Soon after Briar returned to Arx from his training and quickly made his place in the city as well as joining the Blades. The Blades were her family, now they are more than ever.
  e her family, now they are more than ever.)